The issue of compensation to the drought-affected farmers in Chhattisgarh rocked the state assembly today with opposition Congress staging a walkout accusing the ruling BJP of neglecting farmers.
Raising the issue in the Question Hour, Congress MLA Motilal Dewangan sought to know how many tehsils in the state have been declared drought-hit and what steps have been taken to ensure relief to farmers in these areas. He also asked how many farmers were provided compensation till January 31, 2016.
In his reply, Revenue Minister Premprakash Pandey said, 117 tehsils of 26 districts have been declared drought-hit where, total 8,33,792 drought-affected farmers have been given aid of Rs 4,21,83,66,043.
About the relief measures, the minister said economic assistance, jobsunder MNREGA, waiver of revenueand water taxes, relief in agricultural loan, free distribution of seeds for paddy crop,freeadditional power supplyof 1,500 units for agricultural pumps, monetary help for the marriage of farmers' daughters and several other measures were taken to ensure relief todrought-hit farmers.
Dewangan asked on what basis the farmers were provided compensation against their crop loss, to which the minister said, a farmer (as an individual) has now made the unit of crop loss assessment (instead of affected crop area).
"The state government has includedthe word 'drought' in the list of natural calamities under Revenue Book Circular (rule 6-4), under which compensation is being provided to farmers on loss of their 33 per cent (or above) crops," he said.
Another Congress MLA Dhanendra Sahu said the state has not published any survey report on crop losses and are claiming to have paid compensation to farmers.
Countering his charges, Pandey said the government has carried out the survey of crop loss in the drought-hit area and has come out with a report.
Senior Congress legislator and party's state chief
Bhupesh Baghel said the district, tehsil, block or villages were considered as the unit for crop loss assessment then how the government has changed this and made the farmer a unit.
The minister also said that the state government has made the amendment under revenue book circular to ensure benefit to farmers.
However, Baghel alleged that the Centre has sanctioned around Rs 1,600 crore for taking up relief measures for farmers hit by natural calamity, but the government has only disbursed Rs 400 crore, which clearly indicates they are neglecting the interest of farmers.
The minister said, the allocated amount is with the government and the Collectors have been asked to disburse the compensation to the drought-affected farmers.
He also said the Collectors have been directed to provide timely compensation to farmers affected by the recent hailstorm in many parts of the state.
Dissatisfied with his reply, theCongress legislators started sloganeering, accusing the government of ditching farmers and not paying heed to their welfare and subsequently, staged a walkout from the Assembly.
