Haryana seeks Rs 350 cr central aid for farmers

Chief Minister Bansi Lal met the PM at his residence this morning and handed over a memorandum carrying his government assessment that the state had suffered of a crop loss of Rs 2,099 crore in untimely rains accompanied by strong winds that flattened ripe crops.

He sought an immediate minimum central assistance of Rs 350 crore to mitigate the sufferings of farmers and to enable the state government to overcome the impact of this natural calamity.

Bansi Lal informed the PM that the state government had ordered special girdawari in the affected areas to assess the losses. Recovery of crop loan in the affected areas has also been deferred andde-watering operation already started, he added.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture Som Pal was also present at the meeting. Senior state officials, including chief secretary RS Verma accompanied the Chief Minister.

According to the memorandum, a total of 9.08 lakh hectares of cultivated area has been adversely affected. The damage to kharif crops including paddy, sugarcane and bajra, was estimated around Rs 2,100 crore.

About 40 per cent loss has been estimated in Grade-A (superfine varieties) and common varieties of paddy. The loss in basmati paddy was more and total loss of paddy was estimated at around Rs 1,604 crore. The loss to sugarcane and bajra crops has been estimated up to Rs 316 crore and Rs 110 crore respectively.

The memorandum explained that the excessive rains in the first week of October caused extensive lodging in paddy crop resulting in loss in productivity from five to eight per cent. Shedding of cotton balls in the full bloom crop was estimated around 10 to 15 percent.

Continuous rains for five days led to sprouting of grains in ear-head of bajra, rendering damage to the extent of 20 per cent. Loss caused to fodder was estimated as high as 60 per cent.

Bansi Lal said heavy rains also affected the quality of around 25 lakh tonnes of paddy, which was now discoloured and in some cases sprouted in the fields.

He urged the central government to give relaxations in specification of paddy while procuring it as it will have high moisture content. The limit of moisture content should be increased to 22 per cent, five per cent in damage and five per cent in discolouring from the existing percentage of 18, three and three respectively.

Besides, the state government has also pleaded for exemption of Grade-A and common paddy from levy obligation up to October 30 and levy exemption on exports of non-basmati rice. The state government has further pleaded that adequate bonus may be announced by the central government to compensate farmers, who sold paddy below minimum supportprice and increase in driage allowance to two per cent from existing one per cent in case of customed milled rice.