What Compensation Has Gujarat Announced for Rain-Affected Farmers?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Compensation of Rs 22,000 per hectare for affected crops.
- Uniform support for both irrigated and non-irrigated crops.
- Applications can be submitted through village centers.
- Special aid for farmers in waterlogged regions.
- Significant relief package of Rs 947 crore for impacted farmers.
Gandhinagar, Nov 11 (NationPress) The government of Gujarat has declared a standard compensation of Rs 22,000 per hectare for both irrigated and non-irrigated crops across five districts affected by rainfall: Vav-Tharad, Patan, Kutch, Panchmahal, and Junagadh.
This initiative, implemented under the leadership of Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, follows comprehensive appeals made by Legislative Assembly Speaker Shankar Chaudhary, who highlighted the significant crop losses in these areas and advocated for greater support for impacted farmers.
State Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani affirmed that this decision provides equal assistance for all farmers, irrespective of the type of crop grown, with a maximum limit of two hectares per farmer.
The Agriculture Relief Package Portal has been activated from Tuesday for a duration of 15 days, enabling farmers to submit applications through their local village centers.
This relief initiative follows heavy rains from August to September, which inflicted severe damage to standing crops in various districts.
After conducting immediate field assessments, the state government introduced a Rs 947 crore relief package for affected farmers, with eligibility criteria set for those experiencing over 33 percent crop loss, according to State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) guidelines.
Previously, compensation rates were differentiated: Rs 12,000 for non-irrigated crops, Rs 22,000 for irrigated, and Rs 27,500 for perennial crops. However, the recent announcement standardizes compensation across all crop types.
Moreover, farmers in Vav-Tharad and Patan, where excessive waterlogging has hindered Rabi season planting, will receive targeted support of Rs 20,000 per hectare (up to two hectares).
According to the latest data, Gujarat had around 53.19 lakh farmers registered in the 2015-16 agriculture census, including 20.17 lakh marginal farmers, 16.15 lakh small farmers, 11.50 lakh semi-medium farmers, 4.95 lakh medium farmers, and 39,893 large farmers.
Additionally, other sources estimate that approximately 40.37 lakh agricultural households are involved in farming in the state.