K'taka floods: Farmers threaten protests over delay in crop-loss compensation

Bengaluru: The farmers in the flood-hit regions of the state has threatened to carry out statewide protests if the government does not release the compensation immediately.

Speaking on the issue, the state president of farmers’ body Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha, Kodihalli Chandrashekhar said that the state the government is dragging its feet in providing timely flood relief.

He further warned, “The government should release the compensation immediately to help affected farmers take up agrarian work, failing which we will carry out statewide protests.”

The state revenue department has estimated the total crop loss at Rs 1,150 crore, compensation for which has to come from the Centre.

As per the disaster relief guidelines, it is the Centre’s responsibility to release funds for crop loss (of above 50% in a farm land) through the National Disaster Response Fund. If the damage is less than 50%, then the state too shares the compensation amount.

There are 2.70 lakh crop-loss victims from about 130 taluks, according to data available on the revenue department’s Parihara website. The state government releases relief directly to a farmer’s bank account, which is linked through Aadhaar, using specialised software.

As many as 103 taluks in 22 districts were affected due to the floods last month, in which over 80 people were killed. Around seven lakh people were shifted to safe areas and thousands of houses were damaged.