Crop damage `25 cr aid package released for Khammam farmers

Khammam : The State government has released Rs 25.06 crore towards compensation for crops damaged due to unseasonal rains in March this year in erstwhile Khammam district.

In a GO RT No 14 issued on April 19, the government has released Rs 151.64 crore towards the compensation for the crop loss caused due to heavy rains and hailstorms in 26 districts in an extent of 1.51 lakh acres of land.

Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has toured the rain-hit areas on March 23 in erstwhile Khammam, Warangal and Karimnagar districts and announced a relief of Rs 10,000 per acre. He also announced that the compensation would also be extended to tenant farmers.

According to officials, in Khammam maize, paddy and others including horticulture crops were damaged in 23,632.17 acres of land affecting around 18,258 farmers. In Kothagudem district crops in 143.10 acres of land were damaged affecting 1,978 farmers.

Meanwhile, District RythuBandhu Samithi president NalamalaVenkateswara Rao conveyed special thanks to Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on behalf the district farmers for releasing the relief package of Rs 25.06 crore. He said an amount of Rs 23.63 crore had been allocated for the Khammam district and Rs 1.43 crore had been released for Kothagudem. The amount would be credited into the accounts of the farmers in about 10 days, he said.