K'taka farmers badly hit this khariff season: Minister

Bangalore, Sep 5 (UNI) Farmers of Karnataka have suffered crop loss to the tune of Rs 2,942 crore this khariff season due to dry spells and recent floods, Agriculture Minister Bandeppa Kashempur informed today.

Speaking to newspersons here, he said the estimated crop loss due to dry spells was Rs 2347 crore and rain and floods Rs 594 crore.

He said khariff crops, including cereals and oil-seeds, had been cultivated in 61 lakh hectares in the state as against the target of 84 lakh hectares. While standing crops in 17.84 lakh hectares had completely withered due to shortfall in rains, those on 1.59 lakh acres had been destroyed due to floods in seven districts, he informed.

Mr Bandeppa said the state government had sought the Centre to grant special permission to apply for insurance coverage and extend the deadline from the present July 31 to September 30. He would reiterate the state's request during the all state agriculture ministers meeting called by Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on September eight.

He said the state government had sought the Centre to release a financial assistance of Rs 6,900 crore for six districts which had recorded the highest number of farmers' suicides.

The Centre had already announced that Chikmagalur, Shimoga, Belgaum, Chitradurga, Kodagu and Hassan districts would be brought under the Vidharbha-type package to help the farming community, he pointed out.

Mr Bandeppa said the state government had prepared a Rs 41 crore proposal to provide seed subsidy to farmers for sowing Rabi crops.

It was awaiting approval from the Finance Department, he added.

To a question, he said he had initiated steps to fill 700 posts lying vacant for years in his department. Taking into consideration the inordinate delay in disbursement of crop insurance claims, he had constituted a committee to suggest the measures to remove difficulties in expeditious disposals, he added.

UNI MV RG RKN1910