Chief Executive Officer of the Zilla Panchayat Anirudh Sravan has refuted the charges made by BJP member Siddarth Basarigida that the joint survey by the agriculture, revenue and statistics departments to study the loss suffered by farmers due to the failure of rain in the district was not conducted properly and the officials had arrived at the figures by sitting in their offices.
Intervening in the discussion on the agricultural situation in Kalaburagi district at the General Body Meeting of the zilla panchayat here on Thursday, Mr. Sravan said that more than 750 officials had fanned out to the entire district and visited the fields of 4.67 lakh farmers to assess the damage.
Joint Director of the Agriculture Department Mohammad Jilani Mokashi in his submission said that the estimated loss due to the failure of the rain was Rs. 307 crore in the district during the kharif season.
Crop loss of varying nature has been reported in 4.07 lakh hectares. Jewargi taluk topped the list with crops in more than 1.06 lakh hectares lost to the failure of rain followed by 97,785 hectares in Aland, 58,448 hectares in Kalaburagi taluk, 55,554 hectares in Chitapur, 49,371 hectares in Chincholi and 16,662 hectares in Sedam taluk. The members wanted the government to extend compensation to farmers who did not take up the sowing of crops also along with the farmers who had suffered loss after taking up the sowing.
Mr. Mokashi informed the house that the farmers have completed the sowing of rabi crops in 48 per cent of the target area and the sowing was going on at a brisk pace. There was no shortage of fertiliser and seeds and adequate quantities have been stocked in the district.
He said so far 21 farmers have committed suicide in the district. As many as 11 families, of farmers who committed suicide, have been paid compensation. Five claims were rejected on different grounds. Reports were awaited for the rest.
‘Estimated loss due to the failure of rain is
Rs. 307 crore’
‘Sowing of rabi crops is going on at a brisk pace’
