Kharge mocks UP govt., says cannot get a cup of tea with such money

Mocking the Uttar Pradesh Government for distributing cheques of Rs. 23 to Rs.100 to farmers as compensation in drought-hit Banda District, Congress leader Mallikarjun Kharge on Tuesday said even a cup of tea is unavailable with that amount of money.

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"What is the value of this much money, you don't even get a cup of tea. Compensation should be fix as per acre. So, that it is decided that this much money should be given, not 14 Rs or 15 Rs," Kharge told ANI here.

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"There are norms in Central government and in state government. While distributing the cheque or while assessing the crop damage or the farmers' crop loss, they should thoroughly check and minimum compensation should be given and not like this. Norms should be changed. Uttar Pradesh government must have checked before distributing the cheque. They should at least give a cheque of 500 or thousand rupees," he added

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Echoing similar sentiments, Congress leader P.L. Punia said that the meagre amount that was being distributed as compensation to the already suffering farmers in the drought-hit Bundelkhand region was an insult to them.

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"The compensation that is being provided in the drought-hit Bundelkhand region is an insult to the farmers. What kind of compensation is being provided by giving cheques of Rs.75 and Rs.100? The farmers should receive sufficient and adequate compensation, either from the state or from the central government, Punia told ANI.

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On Monday, the Banda District administration distributed cheques ranging from Rs.23 to Rs.100 as compensation to the farmers.

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The farmers went to the office of the District Magistrate and expressed their anger, shouting slogans for the dismissal of the former.

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The farmers also said that the amount that would be spent to encash the cheques would be more than the compensation that was given to them.