Rajasthan Congress Chief Sachin Pilot today expressed serious concern on the white fly attack on cotton crops at Sriganganagar district in the state, demanding the Raje government to conduct a survey on the damage caused to Kharif crops, including cotton.
Cotton crop in over 40 bigha area was recently attacked by white fly in Sriganganagar district, affecting Narma cotton worth Rs 100 crore, he said here.
The Congress leader said that the damage would affect the livelihood of cotton farmers who had taken loans to grow the crop and are having a tough time to save it from white fly attack.
In the last Rabi season, crop worth Rs 22,500 crore was damaged in Rajasthan, and due to the sheer negligence of BJP government, 60 farmers had allegedly committed suicide, he said.
Now again due to shortage of rains, Kharif crops would have no major gains leaving the farmers in lurch, the Rajasthan Congress chief said.
Pilot also lamented the fact that the farmers whose rabi crop was damaged were not given compensation and relief by the state government.
He added that the state government should conduct a fresh crop assessment (girdwari) and meet farmers' demand on priority basis.
