Bidar district is suffering from slight rainfall scarcity, officials said in Bidar on Saturday. In the KDP meeting in ZP , officials said there was a two week long dry spell in August. There was no rain between August 14-28.
Overall scarcity in August is 57 per cent, though rainfall was above average in June and July.
Around 15-20 % of Soya was affected, joint director of agriculture K. Ziaullah said.
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District in charge Minister Eshwar Khandre asked officers not to wait for allocations, but to plan for the whole year, as per norms.
Green gram harvest had been as per expectation, the minister was informed.
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Mr. Khandre reprimanded bank officials for delaying disbursement of crop loss compensation to farmers even after the government had released it.
DC Anurag Tewari said banks were sitting on government money needlessly. If this continues, I will be forced to seek permission of the state government to demand interest on such amounts, he said.
Mr. Khandre said that the performance of commercial banks was worse than that of cooperative banks. He asked bank officials to speed up the process.
Umakant Nagamarapalli, district central cooperative bank chairman, said all money deposited by the government will be distributed to farmers in five days.
Gum boots for farmers
MLA Ashok Kheny suggested that distribution of free rubber gum boots to farmers could protect them from snake bites. Speaking at the KDP meeting in Bidar on Saturday, the MLA pointed out that a large number of farmers were dying of snake bite as they had no protective footwear. The government is providing many benefits to many, why can't it give shoes to farmers?, he asked.
Mr. Khandre said he would follow up the issue with the State government if the ZP passed a resolution recommending this.