The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Package for crop damage announced

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Wednesday, Feb 27, 2008
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Package for crop damage announced

Special Correspondent

Measure to assist farmers whose crops were damaged in 11 districts of the State

HYDERABAD: Stating that the recent un-seasonal heavy rains were so rare that they occurred only the third time in the last 100 years, Chief Minister Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy announced a “special package” to liberally assist farmers whose crops were damaged in 11 districts of the State.

The cash compensation allowed on each crop damaged has been doubled under the package. The 11 districts are Prakasam, Nellore, Guntur, Krishna, Srikakulam, East Godavari, West Godavari, Visakhapatnam, Kadapa, Kurnool and Nizamabad.

Making a suo motu statement in the Assembly on Tuesday, Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy said the commercial crops faced the brunt as they were normally sown around this time of the year.

The package provided for payment of compensation of Rs. 4, 500 per hectare in case of paddy, groundnut, chillies and vegetables and Rs. 3,750 per hectare for sunflower, maize and pulses (Bengal gram, red-gram, green gram and black gram).

Plea to banks

Dr. Reddy also announced his government’s decision to recommend to the cooperative and other banks to reschedule present crop loans and issue fresh ones, enabling the farmers to raise alternative crops.

He said the Tobacco Board had come forward to provide assistance to the tobacco-growers to the tune of Rs. 5,000 per hectare for fully damaged crop and Rs. 2,000 per hectare if it was partly damaged.

The assistance would be disbursed immediately.

Move appreciated

Replying to questions raised by the Opposition parties which, by and large, appreciated the package, Revenue Minister D. Prasada Rao said in all, 18 types of crops over an extent of 3 lakh acres in 336 mandals were damaged.

The package would be extended to Vizianagaram district.

He said the Food Corporation of India had agreed to purchase discoloured paddy from the farmers by relaxing the procurement specifications.

Purchase centres

The Union government was expected to issue an order shortly to enable FCI to open the purchase centres. For the first time, Markfed would purchase damaged Bengal gram at Rs. 1,700 per quintal.

The government would bear the loss incurred by the Markfed.

The Minister said the Horticulture Department had been asked to submit a report assessing the damage caused to mango gardens.

He, however, expressed government’s helplessness to pay compensation to tenant farmers in view of the legal issues involved.

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