Kerala floods: State seeks ₹110-crore emergency relief from Centre to offset farm sector losses
Minister T. Siddique says losses sustained by agricultural sector have been estimated at around ₹99.29 crore as of Thursday evening and that 36,829 farmers have been affected and about 3,264 hectares of agricultural land impacted by heavy rain and floods
The Kerala government has sought ₹110 crore in emergency relief from the Centre to alleviate losses to the agricultural sector caused by recent floods and torrential rains. As per Minister for Agriculture T. Siddique, the losses amounted to approximately ₹99.29 crore, affecting 36,829 farmers and damaging around 3,264 hectares of agricultural land.
Siddique has forwarded a letter to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, requesting immediate release of the emergency assistance. He also plans to visit Kuttanad on August 9 to assess the damage. A review meeting is scheduled in Alappuzha. The government is also planning to hold a meeting of nationalised and co-operative banks to discuss a special financial scheme for affected farmers.
The Department of Agriculture will open 2,000 fairs to monitor vegetable prices during the Onam festival, with a budget of ₹20 crore allocated under Horticorp and Vegetable and Fruit Promotion Council Keralam. The Cabinet approved a 25% increase in crop loss assistance for farmers. Additionally, the government intends to offer weightage marks to students participating in farming activities and introduce 'kathir karshika clubs' in schools to encourage more youth to engage in agriculture.
Written by urgent.news from The Hindu's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
