Hailstorm and untimely rain damaged crops in 1.74 lakh hectares land in Gujarat

New Delhi

Hailstorm and untimely rain in February and March 2015 damaged crops in total 93.81 lakh hectares land in 14 states of the country including crops in 1.74 lakh hectares land in Gujarat. The minister of state for Agriculture Mr. Mohanbhai Kundaria provided the information in the Rajya Sabha on April 24, 2015 in reply to a question raised by MP Mr. Parimal Nathwani.

Uttar Pradesh witnessed the most damage due to hailstorm and untimely rain as crops in total 29.64 lakh hectares land there was damaged, while the least affected states were Kerala and Telangana with crop damaged in 0.01 lakh hectares land only, said the minister.

Mr. Nathwani wanted to know details of the damage to the crop due to hailstorm and untimely rain along with financial aid provided to the farmers by the government.
According to the minister’s statement tabled in the house, the government provides agriculture input subsidy, where crop loss is 33% and above, for damage caused to all types of agriculture and horticulture cropped areas due to the notified natural calamities. The minister also stated that the subsidy is Rs. 6,800 per hectare for
rainfed crops, Rs. 13,500 per hectare for irrigated crops. It is subject to minimum assistance not less than Rs. 1,000 and restricted to sown areas only and Rs. 18,000 per hectare for all type of perennial crops, subjected to minimum assistance not less than Rs. 2,000 and restricted to sown areas. In addition, the calamity affected farmers are entitled for claims under various crop schemes.

The minister also stated that apart from the above mentioned four states, ten other states such as Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh, Bihar, Jammu & Kashmir and West Bengal witnessed crop damage due to hailstorm and untimely rain.

– DeshGujarat