Members in RS voice concern over crop loss due to rains

Members in Rajya Sabha, cutting across party lines, today voiced concern over the loss caused to rabi crops due to unseasonal rains in many states and demanded immediate special relief package for the affected farmers and waive off of the crop loan.
Some members urged the Centre to soon send a team to assess the crop damage and proper implementation of crop insurance scheme besides special initiative to study the impact of climate change on agriculture sector.
The House saw a short duration discussion on the issue during which members highlighted the impact of crop damage on poor farmers.
Members from both BJP and Congress mentioned that crops such as wheat, potato, mustard seed, gram, mango, orange, grapes and cashew have been affected.

These crops have been damaged mainly in states such as Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Haryana, Madhy Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharasthra, Gujarat, Uttarkhand, Himachal Pradesh, Delhi and Jammu and Kashmir, they said.
The reply on this issue by Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh could not take place as Samajwadi Party leader Naresh Aggarwal requested the Chair to postpone it for tomorrow so that it is heard by all farmers.

"Nobody is watching TV now. The issue of division on motion of thanks to President's address has become big news headline and not the farmers' issue. This discussion is for farmers and it should be postponed for tomorrow morning. Minister's reply should reach to farmers," Aggarwal said.

To this, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the minister will reply tomorrow.
The discussion, however, got over today itself and around 10 members participated and demanded the government to take urgent measures to support farmers in this period of crisis.