MP govt disburses Rs 2,128 cr to hailstorm affected farmers

31 million farmers were affected in 49 districts due to frequent spell of hailstorm and unseasonal rains this year

A total of 31 million farmers were affected in 49 districts of the state due to frequent spell of hailstorm and unseasonal rains during the year 2014. And the state government has disbursed an amount of Rs 2,128 crore as compensation to farmers.

Eastern Madhya Pradesh districts Rewa and Satna, districts of Bundelkhand region Chhatarpur, Panna, Damoh and Sagar were worst hit districts. Also, 500,000 farmers lost their crop in range of 25 per cent to 100 per cent in Dewas, Sehore and Raisen districts, minister for agriculture Gauri Shankar Bisen today said in a written reply to a question of the Ram Niwas Rawat of Congress in state assembly.

The issue was in limelight during recent assembly elections and general elections, even Congress heavyweight and general secretary Digvijay Singh has last week observed fast over non-disbursement of compensation to hailstorm hit farmers in Guna district.

He had ended the fast with an ultimatum to the administration to immediate disbursal of compensation to affected farmers and threatened to approach court of law if "justice is not done to affected farmers".

In his reply the minister said as many as 68,342 farmers were affected in Guna, 31,458 farmers in Gwalior and 90,920 farmers were affected in Shivpuri and an amount of Rs 62.28 crore, Rs 26.33 crore and Rs 82.91 crore were disbursed to these farmers respectively.

During 2013 as many as 827,087 farmers were affected from heavy rains and floods, the minister said in his reply, and as many as 29 districts were affected. A total of Rs 666.71 crore were disbursed to the affected farmers then.