Bhopal: The districts, which were declared hit by drought and hailstorm and received heavy financial aid to support the affected farmers, registered bumper crop production raising questions on the government’s motive in marking them as hit by natural calamities.
To one’s wonder, the government after declaring a good numbers of tehsils of several districts in the state as affected by drought and hailstorm has started distributing financial relief to the affected farmers. But, despite the drought, and the hailstorm that took place in February, these districts have registered high production this season.
The inflow of crops produce from these districts during wheat procurement in the state thus hinted at irregularities in the survey conducted for marking the drought and hailstorm hit districts by the government.
Notably, financial aid to the tune of crores of rupees is being distributed to the farmers found to be hit by drought in districts including Chatarpur, Datia, Teekamgarh, Vidisha, Sagar, Damoh, Shahdol, Shivpuri, Sidhi, Satna, Ashoknagar, Gwalior, Morena, Shajapur, Sheopur and Umaria. Similar financial relief is also being extended to the farmers affected by hailstorm in Betul, Chatarpur, Chhindwara, Hoshangabad, Khandwa, Raisen, Sehore, Seoni, Dewas, Ashoknagar, Sagar and Vidisha.
But strangely, the inflow of wheat from most of these so called ‘affected’ districts has been quite good.
Agriculture director Mohanlal Meena confirmed “Farmers are getting good rates as maximum support price (MSP) has increased to Rs 1735 per quintal of wheat. Besides, they are also getting Rs 265 per quintal of wheat under Krishak Samridhi Yojana. The farmers, instead of selling their produce in the market are now selling them in farmers cooperative societies.”
“All these facts are leaving an impression that bumper production of crops has taken place in the drought-affected districts despite the area of sowing in the region was reduced by 6 lakh hectare compared to the last year due to drought,” Meena said.