A fresh estimate has pegged the loss of crop due to untimely rain and hailstorm more than Rs 1,100 crore with five lakh farmers being affected, UP chief secretary Alok Ranjan said Monday. He, however, refuted reports of suicide by farmers due to crop loss and said all the deaths were due to incidents related to unprecedented rain and hailstorm.

“Till date, 35 people have died. These deaths were mainly due to incidents of house collapse or lightning. It has not been established anywhere that farmers had committed suicide because of crop loss,” Ranjan said talking to reporters here.

On fresh estimate of crop loss he said, “The initial estimate was Rs 744 crore, which rose to Rs 850 crore in 33 districts, but as six more districts have been affected in last three days, it has gone above Rs 1,100 crore”.

Ranjan said relief work was being carried out at a large scale and an additional relief of Rs 300 crore has been released for farmers and a decision has been taken to arrange another Rs 600 crore from state level. Last month, the government had released Rs 200 crore from state’s emergency funds for the same.

He said the district magistrates have been directed to distribute the relief amount on priority basis. He said complaints were being received that lekhpals were conducting survey from their homes, therefore the DMs along with other officers would conduct random survey.

He said as per the central guidelines, there was provision for extending financial assistance of Rs 1.5 lakh in case of death, but the state has added Rs 3.5 lakh from its own resources. “Besides, the chief minister has added another Rs 2 lakh, thus taking the total compensation package to Rs 7 lakh,” he said.

The chief secretary said agricultural dues have been suspended and banks have been directed not to take any coercive measure for recovery of loans for which a meeting will be held in the next two-three days.

Source - http://indianexpress.com/