The Aam Aadmi Party in Mysuru has demanded that the State government should pay out compensation for crop loss to every affected farmer at the rate of ₹50,000 a hectare as done by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal in Delhi, instead of shedding crocodile tears over the situation.
Addressing presspersons here on Tuesday, Malavika Gubbivani, president, AAP, Mysuru district said crop loss has occurred in about a million hectares across the State due to untimely rains and the farmers are in a big crisis. “It’s nothing but an insult to farmers that the State government fixes compensation for the crop loss at the rate of ₹13,500 for irrigated lands, ₹6,800 for arid lands and ₹18,000 for commercial crops,” she argued.
The party has claimed that relief has been calculated based on the rates fixed six years ago and deplored the State government’s decision as the compensation won’t even cover the labour charges incurred on cultivating the crop. If the Bommai government has any concern towards farmers, let the government pay compensation at the rate of ₹50,000 per hectare as being done in Delhi by the Kejriwal government, she suggested.
“Already, two farmers have reportedly died by suicide due to distress over crop loss. Farmers are being asked to produce documents for which they are made to run around in government offices to secure the meagre compensation. In case of any errors in the documents, the compensation is rejected,” she claimed.
She demanded that the officers also consider the post-harvest loss of the crop. “Until the compensation reaches the farmers’ accounts, the banks must not pressurize them for loan repayment and the government should bring out an order in this effect,” Ms. Gubbivani demanded.
The AAP said the government must try to build confidence among distressed farmers by releasing the adequate compensation immediately.
