Belagavi (Karnataka), Dec 21 Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Tuesday said that "an honest decision in the history of the state has been made in terms of distribution of crop loss compensation for the first time".
"An honest step on the distribution of crop loss compensation taken. The sum of Rs 968 crore has already been disbursed for farmers," he said in the Assembly while replying during a debate on floods and crop loss, adding: "We are a pro-farmer government."
According to National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF) norms, Rs 6,800 is the amount fixed for crop loss per hectare in dry land farming. On this, the Chief Minister said: "We intend to raise it."
The state government has decided to pay an additional Rs 6,800 from its own exchequer. In effect, Rs 13,600 is being paid as compensation for crop loss per hectare of dry land farming, he explained.
Similarly, Rs 13,500 has been fixed as compensation per hectare of crop loss for the irrigated lands. But, the state government has decided to pay an additional Rs 11,500 in effect, offering a total compensation of Rs 25,000 per hectare, he said.
"This will benefit farmers with a total crop area of 12.69 lakh hectares. For horticultural crops, Rs 18,000 is being paid per acre. The state government has decided to pay an additional Rs 10,000 per hectare, making it a total of Rs 28,000," the Chief Minister said.
The state government has taken this decision despite the economic hardship caused by the Covid pandemic.
"The additional amount being paid would cost Rs 12,000 crore for the exchequer," Bommai said.
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