Why in news:

• The Haryana government has asked farmers, who suffered losses owing to the recent unseasonal rain and hailstorms, to upload their crop damage reports on the e-Kshatipurti portal so that the state government can take necessary steps for compensating their loss.

Key Points:

• Further, the farmers have been directed to re-check their bank account details on the ‘Meri Fasal Mera Byora’ portal in order to avoid any inconvenience in receiving the compensation.
• Lat year, the e-Kshatipurti portal was created by the state government, on which the farmers were given the facility to upload their crop loss reports. So far, the data of loss pertaining to about 16.83 lakh acre has been uploaded by farmers. Based on reports uploaded by the farmers of Charkhi Dadri, Jind, Mahendragarh, Rewari, Kaithal, Sonipat, more than one lakh acre of crops has been reported damaged.
• In order to get an accurate assessment of the loss, the state government has decided to engage kshatipurti sahayaks in addition to revenue officials, patwaris, kanungos, deputy commissioners, etc.
• These khastipurti sahayaks (compensation assistants) will also assist the patwaris in ascertaining the losses. These compensation assistants will be given Rs 5,000 by the state government authorities for carrying out the work of girdawari (crop damage assessment) on a block spanning 500 acre. Apart from taking photos on mobile phones, these compensation assistants should have computer knowledge, they will be appointed by the deputy commissioner concerned.
• According to the rules of the state government, compensation is given up to Rs 9,000 for 25 to 50 per cent damage, Rs 12,000 for 75 per cent damage, and Rs 15,000 per acre for 100 per cent damage. This time, the task of distributing compensation from the ‘State Disaster Relief Fund’ would begin as soon as the report is prepared at the district level, rather than waiting for the report to be prepared at the state level.
• Further, in the wake of the crop damage caused due to rainfall and hailstorms, the state government has also sent a DO letter to Union Minister of Consumer Affairs requesting some relaxation in the moisture content of wheat.
• It is noteworthy that during Kharif procurement this time, the state government will follow the pattern of transferring payment directly to the bank accounts of farmers within 48-72 hours. If there is a delay in the payment, the amount will be paid along with 9 per cent interest.