Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, The Punjab government has sought a comprehensive relief package in terms of special central assistance of Rs.717 crore to compensate its hard working farmers for the losses incurred by them to their standing Rabi crops due to recent untimely rains and hailstorms.
In the letter to the Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation, GoI, the Commissioner Agriculture, Punjab Mr. Balwinder Singh Sidhu has urged the Centre to grant this compensation which would not only encourage the farmers in this hour of crisis but would lead them to work harder for ensuring food security of the nation.
As per the proposal submitted to the Centre for seeking special relief package to grant compensation to the farmers, the state has projected the loss/damage caused to standing crops due to hailstorm and heavy rains in February-March, 2015 as under:
Sr. No. Sector Damaged Area (hectares) Amount of Loss (Crore Rs.)
1 Field Crops 2,60,000 628
2 Fodder Crops 24,000 46
3 Horticulture Crops 10,177 43
Total 2,94,177 717
In order to compensate the farmers for the losses suffered, a compensation at the rate of Rs.3600 per acre was being provided by the State government due to high input cost incurred by the farmers and excessive damage to Rabi crops, the compensation needs to be enhanced to Rs.10,000 per acre. The state government further pleaded that the compensation to the farmers should be given for the loss suffered by them for their standing Rabi crops and cited the norms of assistance prescribed by the Ministry of Home Affairs, GoI vide their letter dated November 28, 2013, which provide norms provide for assistance of small and marginal farmers in inputs subsidy to farmers where crop loss is 50% or more {Item 5(i)(B)}. A perusal of the item would indicate that inputs subsidy is restricted to Rs.9000/- per hectare in areas with assured irrigation subject to minimum assistance not less than Rs.750/- and restricted to sown areas. This was apparently aimed to enable the farmers for sowing of next crop. It does not really compensate the farmers for the loss incurred by them because of damage caused to their standing crops or loss of income which they suffer.
The Commissioner Agriculture further pointed out that in Punjab, the farmers have suffered damage to their standing crops which have mainly been lodged or flattened because of hailstorms, heavy rains and high velocity winds. Such a loss may not lead us to conclude that the loss was 50% or more, but certainly heavy damage had been caused to realizable value of the crop due to decrease in yield and hence it was strongly felt that the farmers needed to be adequately compensated in this hour of crisis.
It may be recalled that in so far as area with loss of 50% or more is concerned, would be known only after our Revenue Inspectors i.e. Patwaris have done special girdawari i.e. harvest inspection. However, there was a substantial resentment amongst the farmers for the likely loss in their income and productivity of standing wheat crop, which was otherwise expected to be a bumper crop. The Commissioner Agriculture impressed upon Centre to consider their proposal and provide requisite relief to the farmers even if it has to be a special dispensation.
