UP govt to disburse Rs 200 Cr to hailstorm-affected farmers

Uttar Pradesh government today said that Rs 200 crore have been released by the state government to be disbursed among the farmers who have lost their crops due to recent hailstorms in the state.
Uttar Pradesh Public Works Department and Irrigation Minister Shiv Pal Yadav told reporters that "as a quick relief measure, Rs 200 crore have been released by the state government to be disbursed among the farmers who have lost their crops".
District Magistrates have been directed to conduct surveys of damage to the crops in their respective districts and submit a report within 48 hours, Yadav said.

He was talking to reporters after inauguration of 'Sarv Samaj Ekta Mahasammelan' here at Morta village on Delhi-Meerut road.
On BSP supremo Mayawati's comment that Samajwadi Party is "anti-Dalit", Yadav said that SP is working for the betterment and upliftment of Dalits.
To a question regarding the Land Acquisition Bill, Yadav said that the Narendra Modi government is "pro-capitalist" and has not fulfilled any of its assurances given to the public.

"It is working against the interests of farmers and the Central government's Land acquisition Bill is its blatant example," he said.
Referring to payment of arrears to sugar cane farmers, he said that last year the SP government had made provision of Rs 700 crore in the budget which has been enhanced to Rs 2,000 crore in this financial year.

The UP government is of mood that the benefits of land acquisition must percolate to the farmers instead of middlemen, he said, adding that Whereas the Central government is trying to promote mediator culture in the garb of Land Acquisition Bill to which the SP will oppose inside and outside Parliament.