Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday announced immediate release of ₹228.25 crore towards compensation to farmers who were affected by crop loss due to unseasonal rains and hailstorm in different parts of the state.
The CM visited some of the rain-ravaged areas in Khammam, Mahabubabad, Warangal and Karimnagar districts where he interacted with the farmers.
Stating that standing crops in about 2.28 lakh acres were damaged due to unseasonal rains and hailstorm across the state, the chief minister told the reporters at Ravinutala village of Bonkal block in Khammam district that there was huge damage to maize alone in about 1.29 lakh acres.
“Similarly, paddy in 72,709 acres, mango in 8,865 acres and other crops in 17,238 acres were damaged due to unseasonal rains,” he said.
He announced that the government will release an amount of ₹10,000 per acre towards immediate relief to the farmers for their damaged crops.
He instructed the authorities concerned to release the compensation by Thursday evening itself and disbursement will be done at the earliest.
He said the financial assistance will be offered equally to all crops.
“We are not expecting any relief from the Centre and the entire amount will be borne by the state government,” he said.
KCR said the government will not send any crop loss report to the Centre as a mark of protest for its failure in releasing crop loss assistance to the state in the past.
“We don’t want to depend on the Centre as it takes at least six months for it to respond,” he said.
The chief minister said the government will also provide financial assistance to tenant farmers by making required amendments in the rules.
