Karnataka Government’s delay in submitting final memorandum on the crop-loss caused by pre-monsoon downpour to Union Government and Gram Panchayat polls in the State delayed the visit of Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) to flood-hit areas in the State, said by B.R. Sinha, Joint Secretary, Department of Agriculture and Cooperation (DAC), Government of India and the head of IMCT.
He was speaking to media persons at VIP Circuit House at Yermarus in the outskirts of Raichur on Tuesday.
“Some part of the State were hit by frequent recurrence of pre-monsoon rains in the last week of April and first week of May. Karnataka Government’s memorandums to Union Government too changed frequently in accordance with the rains. We received final report by State Government at the end of May, by then the process of Gram Panchayat polls in the State was underway. These factors delayed the IMCT visit to flood hit areas in the State. Though no damage can be seen in the field due to delayed visit, we will interact with farmers and cross-verify the facts provided by the Deputy Commissioners,” he said.
Owing to paucity of time, he added, the IMCT was divided into three teams to simultaneously visit three flood-hit regions in the State.
“We will compile the findings of all the teams into one comprehensive report incorporating details and submit it to Union Government at the earliest possible. We have asked the State Government to provide some additional information which will also be incorporated in the final report,” he said.
Mr. Sinha said that the new Government at the centre had increased the crop-damage compensation amount by 50 per cent and decreased the eligibility criteria from 50 per cent to 33 per cent so as to safeguard the farmers’ interests.
“Earlier, the compensation was given only when the crop loss was 50 per cent or more. Now it has reduced to 33 per cent,” he said.
The other two members of the team, Anil Pratap Singh (DAC) and S.K. Rajendra, Deputy Director, Ministry of Power, were present.
Presentations
Earlier, S. Sasikanth Senthil, R.R. Jannu and Sameer Shukla, the Deputy Commissioners of Raichur, Koppal and Ballari respectively made brief presentations to IMCT about the crop-damage in their respective Districts in the pre-monsoon downpour. The team then visited some rain-hit villages in Sindhanur taluk before leaving for Hospet in Ballari district.
