Modi announces 3-tier relief package to flood-hit farmers

Gandhinagar, Aug 7 (UNI) Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi today announced a three-tier relief package to the farmers who have been affected by the recent heavy monsoon rains.

In a release here, the government spokespersons and ministers I K Jadeja and Saurabh Dalal said the small and marginal farmers who have suffered 50 per cent loss to their crops would be given Rs 2,000 per hectare, while irrigated land would be given Rs 4,000 per hectare. Similarly, for fruits and vegetables, the government has announced a relief of Rs 6,000 per hectare.

In package-2, the government has announced Rs 6,000 for small and marginal farmers for desilting their land and the amount goes up to Rs 15,000 per hectare.

In package-3, small and marginal farmers would be given Rs 750 to Rs 1,000 for sowing operations.

Overall, the state government has earmarked Rs 187.11 crore for the package that would benefit 5.51 lakh farmers who have been hit hard this time due to monsoon rains that has resulted in crop damage in 6,67,998 hectares.

Meanwhile, the state government has also sanctioned Rs 83 crore insurance claims for Kharif 2006 crop insurance. According to the department of Agriculture, the distribution of insurance amount will start from next week.

The crops that were covered under the insurance include millet, mung, maize, black beans, sesame and paddy.

According to Minister of Agriculture Bhupendrasinh Chudasma, 1,33,293 farmers across the state will benefit from this.

He pointed out that out of the claims of various districts for groundnut crop insurance, claims of only Sabarkantha district have been sanctioned.

UNI