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During a session at the Rajya Sabha, Narendra Singh Tomar, Minister of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, revealed that the Chhattisgarh government reported extensive damage caused by unseasonal rains and hailstorms in March 2023.
March 2023 unseasonal rains: Crop devastation
The natural calamity negatively affected a staggering 18179.647 hectares of agriculture and horticulture. Furthermore, adverse weather conditions severely affected a significant number of farmers, totalling 27,658, in 18 districts of the state.
The Chhattisgarh state government has been actively responding to the situation and taking the necessary relief measures to support the affected farmers. The relief funds are available through the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), with an allocation of Rs. Rs 508.00 crore for the year 2023-24 (Rs 380.80 crore as central share and Rs 127.20 crore as state share). A sum of Rs. Rs 181.60 crore has already been released for the core part of SDRF during the current fiscal year.
Crop insurance supports farmers
Furthermore, to provide more financial support to farmers facing loss or damage of crops due to natural calamities or adverse weather conditions, the Government of India has introduced two crop insurance schemes – the “Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana” (PMFBY) and the “Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme” (WBCIS).
These schemes offer comprehensive risk insurance cover, ranging from pre-harvest losses to post-harvest losses. Farmers who have insured their crops and paid the required premiums can claim benefits under these schemes.
The "Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana" and "Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme" have been operational in Chhattisgarh since their inception, providing an additional safety net for farmers during difficult times.
Given these measures, the State Government and the central authorities work hand in hand to provide timely assistance and support to farmers affected by the natural disaster. The focus remains on mitigating the impact on agriculture and ensuring farmer income stability during these testing circumstances.
The unseasonable rain and hail have posed significant challenges for Chhattisgarh's farming community, but with collective efforts and strong relief measures, the government aims to alleviate the hardships farmers are facing and help them recover from the damage suffered.
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