EC nod not must for relief to hailstorm-hit Maha and MP
21 March 2014 12:28 AM GMT
The development comes amidst reports of farmer suicides in hailstorm-hit areas of Maharashtra.
‘A relief of Rs 856 crore has been approved for Maharashtra and Rs 495 crore to Madhya Pradesh by the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM),’ the government source said.
The source clarified that the Election Commission’s nod is not required for announcing the central relief as Maharasthra and Madhya Pradesh governments have already declared some districts as disaster hit.
The Maharashtra government had sought Rs 1,427 crore relief for the affected farmers. The decision to release the central aid from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) was taken Wednesday at the meeting of Empowered Group of Ministers on crop damage, headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.
Unseasonal rains, wind and hailstorm early this month has affected about 30 lakh hectares of rabi (winter) crops like wheat, pulses, oilseeds and horticultural crops in the two states.
In Maharashtra, crops in 17,69,403 hectares in 28 districts have been damaged, while in Madhya Pradesh 11,55,993 hectares in 51 districts have been hit, he said.
Crops in 13 districts of Karnataka and some parts in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh have also been affected by untimely rains.
The Karnataka government has also sought a relief package. The Empowered Group of Ministers will take a call on the relief package to Karnataka after a central team assesses the extent of damage and submits a report, the source said.
As of now, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh governments have not sent any memorandum seeking assistance from the centre to affected farmers, the sources added.
Crop damage by unseasonal rainfall a serious issue: HC
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court Thursday observed that unseasonal rains and hailstorms that wreaked havoc in several villages across Maharashtra since February this year was a serious issue.
‘It is a serious issue and needs to be looked into,’ a division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice M S Sanklecha said while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by two agriculturists seeking financial aid of Rs 20,000 crores to all those farmers who have been affected by the hailstorm.
The bench posted the PIL for hearing on Friday. The PIL filed by Gorakh Gadke and Vithalrao Pawar sought a direction to the Union Government and state government to disburse immediate financial aid of Rs 20,000 crore despite the election code of conduct.
Additional government pleader Milind More informed the court Thursday that the government has declared a relief package of Rs 4000 crore to the farmers and they would be exempted from paying electricity bills for six months.
Additional Solicitor General Kevic Setalvad, appearing for the Union government, sought two weeks time to file a reply to the PIL. The Court, however, said it wanted to hear the petition tomorrow.
According to the petition, lands ad-measuring over 17 lakh hectares had been affected in the natural calamity. Crops of summer rice, jowar, wheat, vegetables, onion, sugarcane, corn, maize, groundnuts, and horticultural products like banana, pomegranate, grapes, orange, papaya, mango and sweet lime have been damaged.
‘The loss of crops, which were about to be harvested and taken to the market for sale, comes up to Rs 42,000 crore approximately,’ the PIL claimed.
‘A relief of Rs 856 crore has been approved for Maharashtra and Rs 495 crore to Madhya Pradesh by the Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM),’ the government source said.
The source clarified that the Election Commission’s nod is not required for announcing the central relief as Maharasthra and Madhya Pradesh governments have already declared some districts as disaster hit.
The Maharashtra government had sought Rs 1,427 crore relief for the affected farmers. The decision to release the central aid from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) was taken Wednesday at the meeting of Empowered Group of Ministers on crop damage, headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar.
Unseasonal rains, wind and hailstorm early this month has affected about 30 lakh hectares of rabi (winter) crops like wheat, pulses, oilseeds and horticultural crops in the two states.
In Maharashtra, crops in 17,69,403 hectares in 28 districts have been damaged, while in Madhya Pradesh 11,55,993 hectares in 51 districts have been hit, he said.
Crops in 13 districts of Karnataka and some parts in Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh have also been affected by untimely rains.
The Karnataka government has also sought a relief package. The Empowered Group of Ministers will take a call on the relief package to Karnataka after a central team assesses the extent of damage and submits a report, the source said.
As of now, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh governments have not sent any memorandum seeking assistance from the centre to affected farmers, the sources added.
Crop damage by unseasonal rainfall a serious issue: HC
Mumbai: The Bombay High Court Thursday observed that unseasonal rains and hailstorms that wreaked havoc in several villages across Maharashtra since February this year was a serious issue.
‘It is a serious issue and needs to be looked into,’ a division bench of Chief Justice Mohit Shah and Justice M S Sanklecha said while hearing a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by two agriculturists seeking financial aid of Rs 20,000 crores to all those farmers who have been affected by the hailstorm.
The bench posted the PIL for hearing on Friday. The PIL filed by Gorakh Gadke and Vithalrao Pawar sought a direction to the Union Government and state government to disburse immediate financial aid of Rs 20,000 crore despite the election code of conduct.
Additional government pleader Milind More informed the court Thursday that the government has declared a relief package of Rs 4000 crore to the farmers and they would be exempted from paying electricity bills for six months.
Additional Solicitor General Kevic Setalvad, appearing for the Union government, sought two weeks time to file a reply to the PIL. The Court, however, said it wanted to hear the petition tomorrow.
According to the petition, lands ad-measuring over 17 lakh hectares had been affected in the natural calamity. Crops of summer rice, jowar, wheat, vegetables, onion, sugarcane, corn, maize, groundnuts, and horticultural products like banana, pomegranate, grapes, orange, papaya, mango and sweet lime have been damaged.
‘The loss of crops, which were about to be harvested and taken to the market for sale, comes up to Rs 42,000 crore approximately,’ the PIL claimed.
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