Kerala demands financial assistance from Centre

Thiruvananthapuram, Mar 26 (UNI) The Kerala Government today urged the Centre to provide financial assistance to the farmers in the state who had incurred heavy loss in summer rains.

Talking to newspersons here, State Agriculture Minister Mullakkara Ratnakaran said the State Government had sanctioned Rs 10,000 per hectare to the farmers who lost their crops.

The present crop loss due to summer rains was unexpected he said, adding that the rains had wreaked havoc in the state just like monsoon rains.

Taking this as a special case, the Centre should come forward to help the farmers, he said.

Mr Ratnakaran claimed it was for the first time that farmers were getting Rs 10,000 per hectare as compensation as against just Rs 1,500 per hectare in the past.

A Central team would come to the state soon to assess the damage, he said.

UNI PN DS SY GC2043