Co-convener of Janata Varadhi calls for united efforts to recoup from cyclone

Visakhapatnam: Co-convener of Janata Varadhi Moola Venkatarao stated that several coastal districts in Andhra Pradesh were devastated by the severe cyclonic storm ‘Arnab.’

He emphasised that whenever a natural disaster occurs, it should be viewed as a loss to the entire nation, and the Central government has a duty to provide substantial assistance to the affected states.

He said that the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction establishes that governments are responsible for protecting people’s health, property, and livelihoods from the impact of natural disasters. This framework, endorsed by 180 countries—including India—underscores the need for comprehensive protection for farmers against losses caused by natural calamities, the co-convener of Janata Varadhi stated.

In the current situation, transforming the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) into a broader ‘agricultural income protection scheme’ would highly benefit farmers, he suggested.

Moola Venkatarao said that India loses $8.7 billion annually due to cyclones, floods, and droughts. He recalled that the Swaminathan Commission long ago recommended creating a dedicated ‘agricultural loss fund’ to safeguard farmers from climate-related disasters.

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The Hans India