The state government took a decision to deposit input subsidy and crop insurance amount for the year 2016 in the bank accounts of farmers in drought-hit areas of the state. Without linking with crop insurance, Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed public representatives to give `15,000 per hectare to farmers in drought-hit areas. During a meeting with public representatives from drought-hit districts and officials at his residence in Undavalli, here on Saturday, the Chief Minister said that input subsidy to a tune of `1680.06 crore for farmers in seven districts and crop insurance amounting to Rs 534.22 crore should be deposited in the bank accounts of farmers within a week. While as many as 13,21,212 farmers from Anantapur, Srikakulam, Prakasam, Nellore, Kadapa, Chittoor and Kurnool districts will get input subsidies worth 12.07 lakh hectares of land, as many as 6.81 lakh farmers in Anantapur, Kadapa, Chittoor and Kurnool district will get crop insurance amounting to 11.17 lakh hectares. Agriculture Minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy, Water Resources Department Minister Devineni Umamaheswara Rao, Information and Public Relations Minister K Srinivasulu, Prohibition and Excise Minister KS Jawahar, officials and representatives from insurance companies were present. Source - http://www.newindianexpress.com