Govt. considering relief for farmers who could not take up sowing, says Minister Basavaraj Rayaraddy

Minister Basavaraj Rayaraddy announced that the government is contemplating relief measures for farmers who failed to sow their crops due to insufficient rainfall or those who had previously paid crop insurance premiums. During a meeting with press persons after reviewing the drought situation in Shirahatti and Laxmeshwar taluks of Gadag district, Rayaraddy indicated that the matter would be examined by the Cabinet before a definitive decision was made.

The Minister highlighted that the rainfall deficit had caused damage to approximately 50% of the crops in certain areas of Gadag district, and around 10% of the land remained unsown. Over 33,000 farmers in these two taluks paid crop insurance premiums. Rayaraddy emphasized the importance of conducting a thorough assessment of both crop losses and unsown areas.

He directed officials to prepare accurate reports and cautioned against presenting preliminary estimates as final figures. Rayaraddy expressed frustration over inconsistencies in the information regarding drinking water supply in the two taluks and ordered officials to submit detailed reports on the affected drinking water pipeline in Magadi village and repair it under the SDRF provisions, if necessary.

He stated that a decision on declaring the district as drought-affected would be taken only after a scientific assessment of rainfall, sowing, and crop damage, which would require an additional 15 days. Out of the 171 taluks in the state, 171 reported rainfall deficiency. Rayaraddy chaired a review meeting in Shirahatti Taluk Panchayat auditorium to gather information on the drought situation and drinking water status in both taluks.

The MLA, Chandru Lamani, emphasized that eligible farmers should receive crop insurance and government compensation promptly, while ineligible claims should be excluded.