MP sets aside Rs 2,000 cr for farmers hit by rains

State govt to make provision in vote-on-account to be presented on March 3

The Madhya Pradesh government has earmarked Rs 2,000 crore as immediate relief to farmers hit by unseasonal rainfall and hailstorm. The state government will prune budgets of other departments to provide this corpus relief. The state will present the vote-on-account on March 3, in which the relief provision will be made.

"Many districts have reported total crop loss," chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said, adding "of the total 9,800 villages in 49 districts, there are many areas which have been struck by hailstorm four times. This is an unprecedented calamity in the last eighty-six years." The provision made by state government for crop loss is other than what has been prescribed by the Central government.

Under this, 25 per cent to 50 per cent will be categorised under crop loss category. "The Centre does not consider less than 50% as loss. Also, any loss above 50% will be considered as total," Chouhan said. All district collectors have been asked to conduct a survey in various districts with full transparency. The farmers will be provided relief of Rs 15,000 per hectare while Rs 1.5 lakh will be given as compensation for loss of human life.

In addition, Rs 16,500 will be given for cattle loss and Rs 40 per bird will be given for loss of chickens. A three-member committee of senior officials will monitor the survey process.

In another important decision, the state government will pay interest on loans of farmers affected by rain and hailstorm. "We will not only stall loan recovery process but will also pay interest on loan of the affected farmers. We will also urge Central government to contribute its share to this endeavour so that farmers can become eligible for further loans," Chouhan said. According to primary reports, as many as 49 of the total 51 districts have been badly affected. The survey process will be conducted by March 5.

Flaying crop insurance scheme, the chief minister said, "The scheme is of no use as it considers the entire tehsil as unit instead of a farmer. We unnecessarily pay premium but farmers get nothing. How long will the governments pay compensation?" Chouhan asked and said, "We will ask the Centre to redesign the crop insurance scheme."