Naidu Orders Financial Relief to Rain-Hit Farmers
Naidu said officials must complete the assessment of the damage to crops soonest so that the affected farmers could be paid financial relief without any delay.
Vijayawada: Chief Minister Nara Chandrababu Naidu has ordered immediate compensation to every farmer who suffered crop loss in the unseasonal rainfall.
The money should reach the farmers by Tuesday evening, the chief minister said while holding a review meeting with officials from the agriculture and state disaster management authority at the Secretariat here on Monday. District collectors joined the meeting via video conference.
Naidu said officials must complete the assessment of the damage to crops soonest so that the affected farmers could be paid financial relief without any delay.
Expressing concern over the death of eight persons in lightning, he asked the officials to provide ex gratia to the kin of the deceased.
As the IMD forecast further rainfall across districts, the CM asked the officials to alert the general public in advance and to take precautionary steps so that safety is ensured to all. “Officials must act on humanitarian grounds during times of disaster in order and extend all possible help to the affected. Issue alerts via mobile phones about a likelihood of lighting,” he said.
The officials submitted a preliminary report to the CM on damage/loss to crops, stating that paddy and maize suffered damage in about 2,224 hectares. West Godavari suffered badly in 1,033 hectares across 15 mandals while Nandyal suffered damage in 641ha followed by Kakinada in 530ha and Satya Sai in 20 hectares.
With regard to horticulture crops, mainly the banana, papaya and mango suffered damage in about 138 hectares located in Krishna, Eluru, Kakinada, NTR, Tirupati, Nandyal and West Godavari districts.
They said the death toll due to unseasonal rains stood at 10 -- Tirupati-4, Prakasam and Bapatla-2 each and Eluru and Nellore-1 each.
Civil supplies commissioner Saurabh Gaur informed the CM that they had targeted to procure 20 lakh metric tonnes of paddy for rabi season. Out of this, 13 lakh MT was procured from the farmers. Efforts would be made to procure discoloured paddy also.
The CM said all the paddy from farmers should be procured. He would make efforts with the Centre to have it procure paddy if need be.
Naidu praised officials from the energy department for taking up restoration of power supply immediately after the rains damaged the power system in parts of the state.
