Crop loss: Sonia Gandhi to visit Rajasthan today

Congress President Sonia Gandhi (Source: PTI)

Congress president Sonia Gandhi will up the ante on the Vasundhara Raje government as she takes a day-long tour on Friday of farming areas hit by unseasonal rain and hailstorm.

Pradesh Congress Committee chief Sachin Pilot had earlier asked district units of the party to make an assessment of losses incurred to farmers and approach district collectors with the data.

Sonia is expected to visit parts of Kota district where farmers have reported rampant loss to the Rabi crop that was almost ready for reaping. She is then scheduled to hold a meeting in the capital on the party’s future course of action. “Her presence will give the farmers as well as the party workers great strength to battle this crisis,” Pilot said.

Meanwhile, CM Raje has written to the Centre, seeking more assistance to farmers affected by the hailstorm and unseasonal rain and suggested relaxations in the State Disaster Response Fund norms.

Raje has sought that criterion for agriculture input subsidy should be on the basis of actual damage to crop and livestock.

She has also insisted on increasing the limit of agriculture input subsidy under the SDRF rules so that farmers other than small and marginal farmers can get sufficient assistance.

Source:: Indian Express