PANAJI
The State government has received more than 8,000 applications from farmers seeking compensation for extensive crop losses caused by the recent spell of incessant rains.
While the Agriculture Department has already initiated assessment of crop loss across all 12 talukas, it will now simultaneously undertake ground verification of these 8000 applications.
According to Director Agriculture Sandeep Foldessai, the heavy and prolonged rainfall led to significant damage to paddy and other seasonal crops across various talukas. In response, the department has initiated a detailed verification process to assess the extent of the damage reported by farmers.
“Field officers have begun site inspections to verify the claims submitted under the crop loss compensation scheme. Verification of all 8,000 applications will be carried out to ensure genuine cases are covered,” he said.
Simultaneously, Foldessai said that the department is conducting a broader assessment of the overall agricultural damage across the State to compile a comprehensive report for submission to the government. “It will take another one week to complete the assessment,” he said.
Once verification and assessment are complete, eligible farmers will receive compensation as per Shetkari Aadhar Nidhi scheme. “Once we complete the assessment, the compensation process will be expedited to provide timely relief,” he said.
Desai said that the farmers would be compensated under Shetkari Aadhar Nidhi that provides financial compensation to farmers for losses to crops, infrastructure, and produce due to natural calamities. As per the scheme, the farmers can receive up to Rs. 1.6 lakh in compensation for damage from events like unseasonal rains, floods, pests, and diseases. The compensation is capped at Rs 40,000 per hectare for a maximum of four hectares, or based on actual loss, whichever is less.
