Cold wave and ground frost now in crop damage category
RELIEF Girdawri work on in 3 districts that faced cold wave and 11 that saw hail storms; ₹1,713 cr grant allotted in 2016
JAIPUR: State disaster management and relief minister Gulab Chand Kataria on Monday informed the house that cold wave and ground frost have been included in the crop damage category. Addressing the house during the question hour, he said crop damage compensation is being given on the basis of Girdawari report. “This year, crop damage of over 33% has been included in Girdawari report and the grant has been disbursed. In 2016, the department had allotted ₹1,713 crore as grant for Kharif crop damage. From this, 86% (₹1,482 crore) was given to farmers online,” said Kataria.
Similarly, of ₹63.54 crore for Rabi crop damage till February 22, 2017, the department disbursed ₹23.82 crore. The department is also giving grant to farmers who have less than two hectares of land and have suffered between 33% and 50% crop losses.
The minister, while replying to a question raised by BJP MLA Jagdish Prasad said that according to the collector’s report, three districts – Alwar, Kota and Sirohi — faced cold wave and 11 districts witnessed hail storms. “At present, Girdawari work is going on and the actual loss will be assessed by March 5,” he said.
Raising the issue, Prasad said farmers are facing difficulties in earning their livelihood as they don’t have money to buys seeds and fertilizers because of these losses. Congress MLA Sukram Vishnoi alleged that due to note ban farmers in some places had to thrown away vegetables on roads and have no money. Countering the charges, Kataria said, “People have not been affected because of note ban. It is just the rich who are making noise.”
New relocation package for villages in forest area
Forest and environment minister Gajendra Singh informed the house that the government will soon bring a new relocation package for villages in forest areas. Replying to a question related to Mukundra Tiger Reserve area in Kota, Singh said 14 villages come under the Critical Tiger Habitat area. Out of these 14, inhabitants of two villages have been relocated and the others are in the process.
Raising the issue BJP MLA from Kota (south) Sandeep Sharma claimed that the process of developing the reserve area is taking time due to official negligence, staff shortage and lack of resources. Singh informed that shifting of tigers takes time as grassland and prey base needs to be developed before shifting the big cats. The new relocation package is being planned so that the villagers shift happily to avail health and education facilities , he added.