Belagavi: Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday December 21 announced to provide enhanced relief to farmers who have suffered crop damages in rain-affected areas in the State.
Speaking at the assembly here, he said that this will benefit farmers who have suffered damages to their crops. Though this will mount additional burden of about Rs. 12,000 crore on the exchequer, the Government will manage, he assured.
After examining the related documents, we have come to a collective decision that the relief had to be enhanced, he stressed.
“An honest step on the distribution of crop loss compensation taken. The sum of Rs 968 crore has already been disbursed for farmers,” he said in the Assembly while replying during a debate on floods and crop loss, adding: “We are a pro-farmer government.”
According to National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) norms, Rs 6,800 is the amount fixed for crop loss per hectare in dry land farming. On this, the Chief Minister said: “We intend to raise it.”
The state government has decided to pay an additional Rs 6,800 from its own exchequer. In effect, Rs 13,600 is being paid as compensation for crop loss per hectare of dry land farming, he explained.
Similarly, Rs 13,500 has been fixed as compensation per hectare of crop loss for the irrigated lands. But, the state government has decided to pay an additional Rs 11,500 in effect, offering a total compensation of Rs 25,000 per hectare, he said.
“This will benefit farmers with a total crop area of 12.69 lakh hectares. For horticultural crops, Rs 18,000 is being paid per acre. The state government has decided to pay an additional Rs 10,000 per hectare, making it a total of Rs 28,000,” the Chief Minister said.
Input from IANS
Pic Credit: G.Mohan
