Raj Assembly defers Question Hour for debate on crop loss

Rajasthan Legislative Assembly today deferred Question Hour to conduct a two hour debate on Opposition's demand to discuss the situation in the state over the damages caused to crops and loss of human lives due to rains and hailstorms.
As the house assembled after two days of recess, senior Congress MLA Pradhyuman Singh raised the issue of nature's calamity on crop and people of the state, following which the Speaker Kailash Meghawal deferred the Question Hour and opened the proceedings for a two-hour debate.
NPP Leader K L Meena and Independent MLA Hanuman Beniwal, proceeded to the well, showing burnt wheat crop twigs to the Speaker of the House.

The Rajasthan Calamity and Relief Minister G C Kataria told the House that 25 people died along with over 166 cattle and 1315 livestock animals were killed in the rain-related incidents.
He said that crops in 28 out of 33 districts were ruined in the last three days in the state.
The state government have started to pay Rs 1.5 lakh cash as compensation to kins of deceased since yesterday and repair work of the damaged houses or huts will be started at the earliest, Kataria said.

Crop assessment, which was earlier announced to be completed by March 18, has been extended to March 25 so that all affected villages would be covered for relief measures, he said.

Quoting the initial assessment made by collectors and Divisional Commissioner yesterday, the minister said: "Wheat, mustard, zeera, isabgol, lahsoon, dhaniya were damaged from 25 to 50 per cent."
Cutting across party lines, the leaders of ruling BJP and Opposition parties (Congress, NPP, BSP) announced to pay donation of their one month's salary in calamity relief fund.
The donation suggestion was made by BJP MLA Lalit Meena and seconded by the Parliamentary Affairs Minister R S Rathore and Leader of Opposition Ramnarayan Dudi.