Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said that crop cutting experiment will be started at the earliest to provide benefit of crop insurance scheme to farmers whose crops have been affected by hailstorm and untimely rains. He said that loans will not be recovered from affected farmers, whose crops have suffered over 50 per cent loss.
Short-term loans will be converted to mid-term ones and interest will be paid by Government. Affected farmers will be provided loans at zero per cent interest for seeds and fertilisers.
The Chief Minister was addressing farmers after taking stock of crop loss at Sihora and Sehore Madaka in Seoni district on Friday. He visited affected areas and inspected crop loss.
The Chief Minister said that farmers need not worry. Survey work is continuing on a large scale with total transparency. loss of over 50 per cent will be treated as 100 per cent loss. lists of surveys will be displayed at Gram Panchayat buildings for people to see. Anyone can register objection to lists and make suggestions. Survey will be undertaken afresh, if needed.
The Chief Minister said that the State Government has arranged Rs500 crore to help affected farmers. More funds will be given, if needed. All steps will be taken to provide benefit of crop insurance to farmers due to which losses will be compensated to a large extent. last year, farmers were provided Rs2,187 crore crop insurance amount, which is maximum in the country. He said that farmers suffering over 50 per cent loss will be given compensation at the rate of Rs15,000 per hectare while Rs26,000 per hectare relief will be given against loss to crops of vegetables and spices.
The Chief Minister said that relief of Rs1.50 lakh will be given on death of person, Rs16,500 on death of animal and Rs10,000 on loss of small animal. Separate relief will be given against damage to house, roof tiles, etc. A sum Rs25,000 will be given for marriages of daughters of farmers, who have suffered 100 per cent loss. They will be provided wheat, rice and salt at the rate of Rs1 per kg till next crop.
Consoling farmers, the Chief Minister said that we will overcome this crisis unitedly and assistance and relief to farmers will not be curtailed.
Chouhan took stock of crop loss in farmers’ fields at villages Kuwan, Babupur and Pawaiyya in Raghuraj Nagar tehsil of Satna district on Friday. At Pawaiyya, he inspected wheat crop of Nagendra Singh, gram crop of Amar Singh and Masoor crop of Arun Singh. He was accompanied by Public Relations Minister Rajendra Shukla.
Addressing farmers after inspection, Chouhan said that Government will give full compensation to them. Crop insurance benefit will also be provided. He gave detailed information to affected farmers about assistance being given by Government.