Centre asks Telangana govt for crop loss report

Union labour minister Bandaru Dattatreya said the state govt could immediately use Rs 200-cr funds sanctioned by Centre to mitigate the losses during disasters

Union labour minister Bandaru Dattatreya on Sunday asked the Telangana government to submit an assessment report on crop damage caused due to untimely rains to the Centre at the earliest.

Dattatreya, along with Union agriculture secretary Siraj Hussain, today held a review meeting with the state government officials. The meeting deliberated on the suicides of the farmers, drought conditions and the damage to the crops following heavy rains in the last few days.

"The Centre will pay compensation to the farmers, who suffered crop losses due to rains and other natural calamities. This will be in accordance with the new policy that had come into force from April 1," he said.

Speaking to mediapersons after the review meeting, the Union minister said the state government could immediately use the Rs 200-crore funds sanctioned by the Centre to mitigate the losses during disasters.

"We have asked the state government officials to complete the enumeration of crop losses and submit the report to the Centre at the earliest so that the latter can send a team to assess the situation," the minister said.