MP demands Rs 1,500 cr for farmers

After increasing relief funds from Rs 500 crore to Rs 600 crore for frost-hit farmers last week, the state government has demanded Rs 1,505-crore financial assistance from the Centre. Nearly 24 farmers have committed suicide over the last one-and-a-half months and more than two million have been badly affected, as reported in a state government survey.

Crops like tur, gram and potato have been badly affected in various areas due to frost and bad weather conditions. As an ad-hoc relief, the state has decided to waive the interest on Rs 5,200-crore short-term agriculture credit, nullify non-licensee moneylenders credit to farmers and fix the rate of interest for private moneylenders.

“Our initial survey reports have revealed that crops have been destroyed in 40 of a total 50 districts, to an irrecoverable extent. Rabi crop has been reported lost or damaged in 2,051,000 hectares area,” Narottam Mishra, a cabinet rank minister and government spokesperson said, adding, “Our estimate says rabi losses have reached Rs 4,000 crore. We have demanded Rs 1,505 crore from the Centre but are yet to hear from them”.

Giving details of the demand break-up he said, the state has demanded Rs 700 crore to compensate crop losses, Rs 380 crore for agricultural advances, Rs 225 crore to recover losses of agriculture cooperative societies and Rs 200 crore to generate employment other than farming.

December last year and January 1, 2011 had recorded a historic low temperature of (-2) degree in some regions. While almost all the districts reported a maximum temperature of 4 degree Celsius. Crops like tur, chana (gram), coriander and potato have been destroyed completely in various pockets. So far, the state has released Rs 153 crore to support the farmers.

The issue of farmers committing suicide in Madhya Pradesh has already taken a political colour. State Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has said he would observe a “fast” on February 13 to protest against the Central government for not extending financial support to the state on the issue of farmer suicide. “He will launch the protest to demand for postponing public service undertaking bank loan recovery and include farmer as a unit in the crop insurance scheme,” an official said.