TRS MP seeks relief for hailstorm-hit farmers

New Delhi: TRS MP B B Patil here on Friday raised the issue of crisis of crop damage in Telangana due to hailstorm and sought a fair compensation to the farmers.

He said hailstorms have damaged crops in 38,482 acres in State in the month of March this year and the number of farmers affected were 30,587. The affected districts were Nizamabad (10,585 acres), Kamareddy (21,022), Medak (1,136), Nirmal (1,222) and Karminagar (837).

Major crops that were damaged are Paddy in 24,363 acres, Maize in 8,674 acres and Jowar in 1,235.21 acres and others (like pulses, sesamum and sunflower) in 1,110 acres.

The farmers who paid insurance premium for their crops under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana were expecting compensation as per the insurance policy. However, all claims were rejected by the authorities.

For example, in his constituency, Pulkal villagers of Bichkunda mandal about 283 farmers had paid insurance for crops in 258.54 acres (Rs 1, 74, 255) during the current kharif season for an assured sum of Rs 96, 21,000, the MP pointed out. Not a paisa was given to them just as in case of other Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies in 906 societies.

Approximately Rs 20.78 crore should have been given as per National Disaster Relief Fund norms so far, the MP stated urging the Centre to intervene and direct the insurance companies to behave responsibly as the farmers were in dire straits having paid the premiums using borrowed money.