Chandigarh : The central government has quoted existing norms to virtually express inability to release compensation to Haryana for the recent loss suffered by farmers when their standing crops were damaged due to unseasonal rain, strong winds and hailstorms.
Union ministers Ram Vilas Paswan and Sanjeev Kumar Balyan held meetings with Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar and senior officers here on Tuesday to review the damage to crops after the state submitted a demand of Rs.1,136 crore as compensation in the form of special central assistance.
Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution Minister Paswan and Minister of State for Agriculture Balyan, who came to Chandigarh on directions of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, assessed the loss of crops due to the recent heavy rains and hailstorm.
While Paswan assured to relax quality norms for wheat procurement by Food Corporation of India during Rabi season, he said that its quantum would be decided later.
“The state government has demanded special central assistance of Rs.1,136 crore on account of damage to crops between the period from March 1 to 22. They have been asked to send the final report of ‘Girdawri’ to the central government at the earliest so that the due financial assistance could be released,” Paswan told media persons after their meetings here.
He said the central government would try to provide compensation by April 30.
“As no compensation was provided by the central government for crop loss up to 50 percent, the chief minister has demanded a bonus of Rs.100 per quintal from the central government. He also demanded that a compensation of Rs.10,000 per acre should be given in case of 100 percent damage to crops,” a Haryana government spokesman said.
Balyan told media persons that the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission on giving 50 percent hike in MSP (minimum support price) could not be implemented in one go but implementation of the report in a phased manner was being considered.
Earlier in the meetings, Khattar urged the central government to provide Rs.100 bonus per quintal over and above the MSP of wheat, relaxation in standard quality norms for wheat procurement and provision of special central assistance to compensate the loss to crops.
He suggested formulating a five factor slab system for assessing the loss to crops so that every farmer could get benefit of compensation announced by the government. The compensation should be calculated in the slabs of 0-10 percent, 11 to 25 percent, 26 to 50 percent, 51 to 75 percent and 76 to 100 percent.
At present, the central government is not giving compensation on crop loss up to 50 percent.