Banks to reschedule farmers' loans

Dharwad deputy commissioner Darpan Jain has asked flood-hit farmers not to resort to extreme steps like committing suicide as the state government has been making efforts to provide quick relief.

Speaking to reporters here on Thursday, Darpan said all banks will restructure and reschedule crop loans availed of by farmers who lost crops in the floods.

Besides, such farmers will also be sanctioned new credit without treating them as defaulters.

The DC informed that the government had issued fresh guidelines for providing calamity relief to the affected. According to the new guidelines the houses that were damaged have been categorised as ‘kuchcha’ and ‘pakka’ houses. ‘Pakka’ houses that have suffered full damage would be given a compensation of Rs 35,000 while the ones severely damaged would get Rs 5,000. Those that have sustained partial damage will get Rs 1,500.

The compensation for ‘kuchcha’ houses are: partial damage: Rs 1,500, severe damage: Rs 2,500 and full damage Rs 10,000.

The DC said the overall damage caused in Dharwad district due to the heavy rains and resultant floods amounted to Rs 283 crore. The damage to the houses (16,831) amounted to Rs 26.73crore, while crop loss (over an area of over 100,000 hectares) was to the tune of Rs 183 crore. Damage to infrastructure has been estimated to be to the tune of Rs 73.9 crore. While horticulture crops worth Rs 94 crore has sustaiend damage, agriculture crop worth Rs 88 crore has been lost.

He said, officials were reassessing crop loss and damage to houses and were paid compensation immediately. The farmers in dry rainfed area will get Rs 2,000 per hectare while those with irrigation facility will get Rs 4,000 per hectare.

The district administration has taken up relief operations on a war footing and the task would be completed in a week, he added.

Darpan said, steps to shift some badly-affected villages were being taken. The administration has identified 16 acres to shift Arahatti village and 20 acres to shift Kongawad in Navalgund taluk entirely. A few families living in low-lying areas in some villages of the taluk will also be shifted.

The work on restoring infrastructure like roads, electricity, bridges, culverts and drinking water among others has begun at a cost of Rs 20 crore.

The district administration has asked organisations/donors to help build houses to rehabilitate displaced families instead of distributing food and other items.