15K farmers claim relief for crop loss in Haryana

Ravinder Saini

Rewari, March 1

As many as 15,655 farmers in four districts — Rewari, Mahendragarh, Charkhi Dadri and Bhiwani — have sought compensation for their crop loss due to hailstorm and inundation owing to unseasonal rain last week.

Survey to be held

A joint team of the Agriculture Department and insurance company will soon conduct survey in affected villages to assess actual loss for providing compensation to insured farmers. Aatma Ram Godara, Deputy Director Agriculture, Bhiwani

They have filed claim applications with local offices of the Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department. All of them are enrolled in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Beema Yojana (PMFBY).

Sources claim the number of distressed farmers is much more as merely one-third farmers get insurance cover under the PMFBY every year.

Rewari has topped the figure with 5,949 farmers lodging complaints about extensive damage to their standing wheat and mustard crops due to the hailstorm. It is followed by Charkhi Dadri with 3,706, Mahendragarh with 3,500 and Bhiwani with 2500 complaints.

Under the PMFBY, the farmers are bound to file applications within 72 hours of the crop loss to get compensation from the insurance company. “Wheat and mustard crops under all five blocks of Rewari district have been affected by hailstorm. Hence, we deputed officials in every block so that farmers do not have to face any issue in moving claim applications. Jatusana is a badly-affected block where a total 2,183 farmers have sought compensation followed by Rewari with 1,792 and Khol with 1,317 complaints. As many as 345 farmers in Nahar and 312 farmers in Bawal block have approached us for relief,” said Balwant, Deputy Director Agriculture (DDA), Rewari.

He maintained hailstorm and inundation had also caused damage to crops in 48 villages of Charkhi Dadri district. “Badhda is the worst-affected block there. The highest number of complaints has been received from there,” he added.

Aatma Ram Godara, DDA, Bhiwani, informed over 30 villagers under Loharu and Bahal blocks in the district had suffered crop loss due to hailstorm. “A joint team of our department and insurance company will soon conduct survey in affected villages to assess actual loss for providing compensation to insured farmers,” he added.

Similarly, over 30 villages in three blocks — Kanina, Mahendragarh and Satnali — in Mahendragarh district have recorded considerable loss to wheat and mustard crops. Preliminary survey conducted by the local office of the Agriculture Department found damage to crops spread over 9,000 hectares in the district , said sources.