Compensation to hailstorm affected farmers after polls: Chouhan

The MP chief minister has reiterated that his government would start making payments of compensation once election process is over

Reacting to criticism from Congress leaders over non-payment of compensation to rains and hailstorm affected farmers Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has reiterated that his government would start making payments of compensation once election process is over. Congress has made the issue poll-plank in many constituencies.

"We have Rs 2,000 crore for the purpose and this money would go to farmers only as this has been earmarked in vote-on-account," Chouhan told Business Standard.

The Congress party leaders including Union minister Jyotiraditya Scindia had flayed him on occasions during his election campaign that no farmer in the state has been paid compensation against crop losses.

"Even they have not distributed the compensation against soya crop losses due to heavy rains, he (Chouhan) makes false claims," Scindia had said recently to Business Standard.

Failure of crops and debt have wreaked havoc among lives of farmers of the state. During month of March this year as many as 10 debt-ridden farmers committed suicide in Bhopal, Sehore, Damoh, Tikamgarh, Chhattarpur, Bhind, Sagar, Ashok Nagar, Guna and Betul districts. "The number is too high as 27,000 farmers in 49 districts have been affected, it took time in survey and also it requires election commission's permission," Chouhan said.

Quality of wheat which has arrived in mandis is also poor. Mandi sources informed said, wheat arriving at Sehore, Bhopal, Shujalpur, Shajapur, Ujjain has been discoloured though it has not been rejected at government centres. Against the total estimated production of 19.2 million tonne Madhya Pradesh has revised production downwards at 17 million tonne. Yet it would be a record production so far. The state had produced 16 million tonne last year with average production of 2,964 kg per hectare.