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The parliamentary standing committee on agriculture has recommended the government should leave no stone unturned to assess the damage caused to farmers in the recent unseasonal rains and hailstorm that wreaked havoc in several parts of the country.
In its report tabled on Friday, the committee said the government should first assess the damage and then get their insurance claims verified and settled by the insurance companies at the earliest.
“If the government adopts a proactive role herein and ensures speedy settlement of claims, the effect of these unseasonal rains would be mitigated to a certain extent and motivate farmers to start preparatory work for the ensuring kharif season,” the panel said.
The committee in its report also pulled up the government for not giving the agriculture sector its due in fund allocations and suggested a quantum jump in that to boost the farm sector.
“In spite of our economy being agri-dominant and one which sustains more than half of our population, the committee notes with concern that when the issue of distribution of financial resources crops up, the agriculture sector is not given its due by the government,” the committee said.
The report comes amid the government facing criticism over farmers committing suicides on account of stress in the sector, including last month's unseasonal rains and hailstorms that destroyed crops in many parts of the country.
The outlay for entire agriculture and allied sectors in 2015-16 has been increased to Rs 11,657 crore, which is about 2.8 per cent of the total central plan outlay of Rs 5, 78,382 crore, the committee said.
“This is meagre amount” that pales in comparison with the allocation to some of the other vital sectors such as energy of Rs 1,67,342 crore, which is 29 per cent of the central plan outlay, it added.
The allocation for the science and technology sector is Rs 19,023 crore, which is 3.3 per cent of the central plan outlay.
“Being well aware of the precarious state of agriculture sector in the country, the committee fails to understand this rather sordid state of affairs,” the report said.
If the government is serious about reinvigorating the farm sector, the panel said that “the first step in the right direction would be a quantum enhancement in allocation of funds for agriculture and allied sectors”.
