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.

It may be noted that 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 1978 farmers. For Khammam an amount of Rs 23.63 crore and for Kothagudem an amount of Rs 1.43 crore was released. Speaking to Telangana Today Khammam agriculture joint director V Srinivas Reddy informed that the process of collecting the details of farmers affected, extent of crop damaged and bank accounts was going on.

A drawing and disbursing officer account has been created and the details would be submitted to the treasury for the compensation amount to be credited into the accounts of affected farmers. The amount would be credited into the accounts of the farmers in about 10 days of time, he noted.

Meanwhile, Telangana Rythu Sangham president Bagam Hemanth Rao demanded the government to purchase paddy and maize damaged due to rains lashed out of Khammam district on Friday. Mango orchards also suffered loss due to the sudden rains and the government should support them, he said.

Traders were trying to purchase the farm produce damaged due to rains at throw away price, hence the government should step in to support the farmers by procuring the damaged farm produce, he said.

Source - https://telanganatoday.com