BHOPAL: In a relief to the weather-beaten farmers across Madhya Pradesh, the newly harvested wheat– which has lost its lustre and thickness due to recent spells of rains and hailstorm – will be acquired by the government through the ongoing procurement exercise.
“Directions have been issued to all government procurement centres to purchase wheat from farmers, even that wheat which has lost its lustre and thickness, on being hit hard by recent spell of inclement weather in many districts of the state,” MP home and public relations minister Narottam Mishra said on Tuesday.
Just a few days ago, the state government had decided to buy wheat from farmers which is up to 14 per cent moist. The latest development is in line with the central government’s recent relaxation of norms for grains with lustre losses to be purchased from farmers.
On Tuesday, while chairing the state cabinet meeting, Chief Minster Shivraj Singh Chouhan detailed his council of ministers about the findings of the ongoing survey of losses to Rabi crop by untimely rains-hailstorm in various parts of the state last month.
“Though the outcome of the ongoing survey is awaited from 3-4 districts, the findings which are with the government up till now, reveal that crops on around 70,000 hectares have been hit by the inclement weather. Keeping this in mind, a relief sum of Rs 64 crore has already been earmarked,” Chouhan said.
Last month, while taking stock of the damage caused to crops in Sagar and Vidisha districts of Bundelkhand and Central MP respectively, the CM had announced compensating the farmers (who have lost over 50 per cent crops) at the rate of Rs 32,000 per hectare, which he claimed was highest anywhere in the country. In addition, the weather-beaten farmers would also be indemnified under the crop insurance scheme, offsetting their total loss of Rabi crop.
The CM also asked his minster colleagues (particularly those who are guardian ministers of untimely rain and hailstorm-hit districts) to personally ensure that crop loss survey is done efficiently so that the compensation money (excluding the crop insurance sum) can be credited into the weather-beaten farmers’ bank accounts through single click in coming days.
“All ministers of affected districts should also ensure that the process of indemnification of the concerned farmers under the crop insurance scheme too is accelerated,” the CM said. Out of the 52 districts, standing and newly harvested Rabi crops in around 20 districts of central MP were hit badly by multiple spells of rains last month.
Takeaways from cabinet meet
730 schools in the state to be covered under the PM Shri Schools Scheme 714.91 cr approved for a new medical college in Budhni (CM’s assembly constituency) FIRs to be lodged against those responsible for open bore-wells, encroaching wells, step-wells Owing to the new controlled excise policy, 2,611 ahatas (liquor served in shops) and 232 such shops located within 100 metres of educational institutes and places of worship closed from April 1.
