The State government will provide an input subsidy for all the crops, damaged during the rain in the current month, as it was not possible to enumerate and register ‘crop booking’ on the government portal before December 15 to get the benefit of Prime Minister’s Fasal Bima Yojana, district in-charge and Municipal Administration Minister Botcha Satyanarayana has said.
At a press conference here on Saturday, Mr. Botcha Satyanarayana highlighted lack of crop-booking data required to pay the insurance premium and compensation. R&B Minister Malagundla Sankaranarayana, District Collector Nagalakshmi Selvarajan Uravakonda MLA and PAC Chairman Payyavula Keshav were also present at the meet.
Anantapur Urban MLA Anantha Venkatarami Reddy also seconded the decision to provide input subsidy instead of taking up the prolonged process of the PM Fasal Bima Yojana.
As per the estimates available with the district administration, as many as 53,000 hectares of crops were damaged in the district. Officials would submit the damage assessment report to the District Collector within five days.
“Once the damage assessment report is received, the government will take a decision on the quantum of input subsidy in consultation with agriculture department officers,” the Minister added.
Bengal gram, groundnut and chillies were the worst-affected crops, officials at the meeting said and added that in place of providing subsidised seeds for sowing again, monetary compensation was better. About 1.5 lakh hectares of Bengal gram and chillies were sown in rabi. Overall 2,153 houses were partially damaged and all of them were given ₹5,000 each as compensation and owners of 159 fully damaged houses were given ₹95,000 per house.
In addition to the financial aid, they would also be given assistance in building a new house. Kin of all 7 persons, who died in the Kadiri house collapse, were given ₹5 lakh each, the Minister said.
Out of 4,230 km R&B roads in the district, 231 km of roads were either fully or partially damaged for which ₹200 crore would be required, Mr. Botcha Satyanarayana said. At least 52 culverts and causeways were also damaged and ₹37 crore was needed to restore them.
Minister’s assurance to CUAP students
The Minister also promised to get the issue of Central University of Andhra Pradesh students, who had been protesting for the last two days over the non-construction of the hostels for boys and girls, resolved immediately.
