The district administration has not yet completed the assessment of farms with more than 33% crop losses, despite the Centre's announcement of relief packages for tillers hit by unseasonal rain.

In April, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that all the farmers who suffered because of hailstorms and unseasonal rain and whose damages were between 33% and 50% of the crop yield were eligible for government aid. This is the first time that the farmers suffering losses between 33% and 50% have been included in the government aid. Farmers suffering from over 50% crop loss are already under such a cover.

The district administration had completed the survey of farms with more than 50% crop damage. But the new government orders have compelled the administration to carry out the surveys again and identify the farmers who have lost crop to the extent of 33% or more but below 50%. The administration was supposed to submit the survey report to the government.

"It was expected that by the end of April, the data of farmers suffering from crop losses would be readied. With the Union government's new orders coming in April, all that the district administration had to do was add the number of farmers affected to the already compiled list. But we don't know why the administration has failed to look into the matter till now," said Rajesh Dhivare, a farmer from Nashik taluka, whose farm was affected during the unseasonal rain and hailstorm on April 28.

Officials from the district administration said that the yjr reports were being sought from the tehsildars and fresh reminders were also being sent to the officers, asking them to comply by the orders.

Parts of Nashik district witnessed rainfall and hailstorms for eight days in April. The rain affected every taluka of the district from April 9 to 29.

According to the panchanamas prepared by the administration, cash crops, foodgrain, orchards and vineyards suffered unprecedented loss during the heavy rainfall in the district. Crops across 2,860 hectares were lost and as many as 2,663 farmers were affected.

"The number of farmers and the affected fields is expected to rise by 10%. We are waiting for the final panchanamas. We have met the tehsildars and requested faster verification of the farmers so that that the process can be expedited," said Rajesh Menghal, a farmer from Dindori.

The administration said that the number of farmers was likely to cross the 3,000-mark, while the affected farmlands could cross the 3,500-mark.

Source - http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com