Write off crop loans in cyclone-hit areas, Jagan urges Centre

Hyderabad: Opposition YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) on Sunday urged the Union government to waive off crop loans in respect of the crops that were damaged in the Hudhud cyclone.

In a memorandum submitted to the Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, YSRCP president Y S Jaganmohan Reddy said the Centre's intervention in the matter was necessary since the Chandrababu Naidu-led government was only making announcements and had failed to implement the decisions. In his five-page letter to the Union Home Minister, Jagan gave details of the devastation caused by the Hudhud Cyclone in North Coastal Andhra Pradesh.

He said, “Not even 10 % of the affected farmers had received either the promised input subsidy or other relief or rehabilitation assistance. Even their loans have not been rescheduled,” he said.

Jagan alleged that the rice that was intended for distribution among the cyclone affected families was being misappropriated by political intermediaries.

Jagan also demanded compensation of Rs 10,000 per acre from the Calamity Relief Fund, to all the farmers including the tenant farmers who lost their crops. Jagan reminded of such a recommendation made by Bhupinder Singh Hooda committee in the recent past.

He further said the seeds should be supplied by the government for the upcoming Rabi season free of cost and all eligible farmers shall be provided crop insurance. The government should ensure procurement of partly damaged and discoloured paddy, sugarcane and other horticultural crops, he demanded.