In view of prediction of rains in the next three days in the State, Haryana Government on Sunday urged the farmers to store their wheat produce safely otherwise they have to take the trouble of drying their produce. The state Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar on Sunday urged the farmers to store their produce safely keeping in view the prediction of the rainfall.
Haryana had received excess rainfall of 466 per cent in March while in April, 591 per cent excess rainfall is witnessed so far resulting in crop damage and huge losses to the farmers of the State. Dhankar on Sunday visited anaj mandis at Beri and Jhajjar and took stock of arrangements made there for storage and lifting of foodgrains.
The Minister said that soon, the State Government would place weighing machines at entry points of all mandis (grain markets) in the state to remove any doubt among farmers and procurement agencies regarding weighing of the crops. He also inspected the weighing machines installed at the Beri Anaj Mandi and interacted with farmers who have brought their produce to the mandi.
Regarding the foodgrains lying in open, he directed the concerned officer to make immediate arrangements for lifting of grains and to arrange tarpaulin. During his visit to Jhajjar anaj mandi, Dhankar interacted with farmers and traders. Also, he issued necessary directions to officers of HAFED for immediate lifting of foodgrains. The Minister was informed about the demands of traders on which he assured to consider their demands sympathetically.
As per the initital crop damage assessment reports of State Government, Rohtak, Gurgaon and Kaithal districts in Haryana has witnessed maximum wheat crop damage with a total of 2.62 lakh acres wheat acreage getting affected by freak weather conditions. The State Government is expecting wheat production of 113.99 lakh tonnes this season against last season’s production of 118 lakh tonnes.
Haryana Government has announced that the compensation for the damage caused to crops due to unseasonal rains and hailstorms would be distributed to farmers in the state on war footing from May 1 to 15.
About the completion of six months of BJP led State Government, the Agriculture Minister OP Dhankar said that the BJP Government has worked in double shifts during its tenure of first six months and has accomplished what can be achieved in a year. He said that the BJP Government has fulfilled more promises than made in its manifesto and has undertaken various other developmental works during these six months.
Referring to the achievements of the Government, he said that several steps have been taken by the State Government for the welfare of the people during this period. These include passing of the Gau Samwardhan-Gau Sanrakshan Act, introduction of new Sports Policy, providing compensation at a rate of Rs12,000 per acre for damage caused to crops due to natural disasters and interest free loan to the farmers, waiving off their electricity bills, ensuring water till tail end of canals, registration of Haryana Fresh Brand, organising successful Agri leadership Summit at Gurgaon etc, he added.