Survey farmer losses again: Sonia
Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Thursday took up the cause of farmers of Uttar Pradesh who have been hit by the recent unseasonal rains, saying a fresh survey needs to be done to assess the losses and compensation be paid accordingly.
Mrs Gandhi wrote a letter to Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav, saying that during her recent visit to Rae Bareli, she had seen for herself the extent of damage to the crops in the area and the crisis it posed to the affected farmers.
The district administration has made assessment of damage to just 10 to 15 per cent of the crops, she wrote, and said a fresh survey is needed to ensure adequate compensation to the farmers. She noted that as per rules only those farmers whose 50 per cent crops are hit get compensation.
The state government needs to do the survey in such a way that the affected farmers get the maximum compensation, the Congress chief told Mr Yadav.
On Thursday, Mrs Gandhi assured farmers in Madhya Pradesh who suffered severe crop loss due to the recent untimely rains that she will fight for their rights and ensure adequate compensation for them.
She arrived Thursday morning at the Neemuch air strip to meet farmers in the district and take stock of the damage caused to the crops due to unseasonal rains and hailstorm in various parts of the state recently and surveyed damaged crops in Madavada by walking nearly half- akilometre in the fields.
“Though we do not have a government in Madhya Pradesh, we are with you. We will fight for your rights and ensure that you get due compensation,” Mrs Gandhi told farmers during an interaction.
Farmers also showed her ravaged Isabgol ( psyllium husk) and other crops and also narrated their ordeal. In the morning, she met the rainaffected farmers in Hingoria Fatak village.
She has so far visited Jamunia Kalan, Bhatkheda, Maalkheda, Nevad, Semli Chandrawat, Sarvania Maharaj, Morvan and Madavada villages in the district. Later, she headed towards Diken and Kanjarda villages in Neemuch to meet the farmers.