Relief teams to visit storm-hit states to help out farmers, says govt

Finance Minister and Leader of the House Arun Jaitley said the Agriculture Minister and his two deputy ministers would be visiting the affected states Thursday onwards.

The government told Rajya Sabha Thursday that Agriculture Ministry has constituted different teams that would visit states in north and western India that have been affected by unseasonal rain and hailstorm in the past few days to extend help to the farmers.

Finance Minister and Leader of the House Arun Jaitley said the Agriculture Minister and his two deputy ministers would be visiting the affected states Thursday onwards.

He said several MPs and state governments have sent letters to the Centre regarding damage to crops, but assessment of losses has not been done in all states so far.

MPs from all parties raised the issue during zero hour and demanded the government’s intervention.

SP’s Ramgopal Yadav said, “After looking at damaged crops, farmers are dying of heart failure. Yesterday, seven UP farmers died. We have written to the Centre on this.”

The Congress, BSP, JD(U) and CPM said the Centre should announce financial assistance, assess the extent of damage to crops and waive interest on loans of distressed farmers. JD(U)’s K C Tyagi said though crops worth Rs 22,000 crore have been lost, insurance firms were assessing the loss at no more than Rs 1,000 crore. NCP’s Sharad Pawar asked the Centre to chip in with more help and waive short-term loans, particularly crop loan and the interest on loans for purchase of agriculture equipment.

Source:: Indian Express