Unseasonal rains: CM orders crop damage assessment
16 March 2016 5:13 AM IST
“Have asked Div Commissioner to assess damage to crops of farmers in Delhi due to unseasonal rains (sic),” Kejriwal tweeted.
Last year, AAP government had announced a compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre to farmers who faced losses due to crop damage. It had then claimed it was the highest compensation announced by any government in the country so far.
On Sunday, Delhi BJP president Satish Upadhyay had written to Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung asking him to appoint a nodal officer to assess the crop loss due to untimely rains in the last few days.
Delhi BJP has demanded a compensation of Rs 50,000 to Rs 70,000 per acre for farmers and said the relief should be given before Holi.
Inclement weather has been affecting the North Indian plains for the past few days. Torrential rains accompanied by strong winds and isolated hailstorms have hit across Punjab, Haryana, Delhi-NCR and parts of West Uttar Pradesh.
While rains are beneficial for standing crops during this time of the year, hailstorm has damaged crops including wheat, coriander and mustard crops across Punjab, West Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Haryana.
These rains can be attributed to the combined effect of a Western disturbance and an induced cyclonic circulation.
Centre to ask Delhi govt to submit memorandum on crop loss
The Centre will ask the Delhi government to submit a memorandum seeking relief package for loss of winter crops due to untimely rains this month. Delhi state BJP unit and MPs from Delhi on Monday made a representation to Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh demanding the Centre to explore possibility of a relief package to Delhi farmers who have lost winter crops due to unseasonal rains in March. “In view of the problems being faced by the farmers of Delhi, the Union agriculture minister has directed that a letter be sent to the government of Delhi asking them to submit a memorandum as per the norms and to seek relief for the farmers,” an official statement said. Rains, accompanied by strong wind and hailstorm in some parts of northern region, has caused damage to wheat and other Rabi crops.
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