BENGALURU: After facing criticism from opposition parties and farmers’ associations over the disbursement of a lower-than-announced drought relief compensation amount, the State Government has assured farmers that it will credit the remaining amount to their bank accounts.
Chief Minister DK Shivakumar urged farmers not to get confused and said they will get their relief compensation as announced.
“We shall ensure to disburse the amount even if the Centre does not pay the State Government. The farmers who have not got the amount, for them too, we shall verify, and the amount will be disbursed,” the DCM said. He cited that some bank accounts are linked to the loan. “This will also be verified,’’ he said, adding that they are committed to disburse Rs 5,000 to eligible farmers.
Dr G Parameshwara attributed the difference to confusion among officials after the CM initially announced a relief amount of Rs 2,500 per acre. Although the CM clarified his statement towards the end of the press conference, officials may have acted on the initial announcement and released only Rs 1,500 per acre in some cases, he said.
“We have given instructions to the officials concerned, and it will be rectified, and eligible farmers will receive the remaining amount due to them. We have allocated Rs 1,250 crore for this purpose and will disburse the amount in accordance with NDRF guidelines,” he said, adding that officials have misunderstood the NDRF guidelines. Dr Parameshwara, who also holds the revenue portfolio, said that he and the CM announced to pay Rs 2,500 per farmers’ family.
He said the State Government has also announced an additional Rs 2,500, for this too, they need Rs 1,250 crore. “The eligibility is set based on NDRF guidelines.
We will pay Rs 5,000 per family’’ he said. He pointed out the difference amount will be paid either now or along with the second installment. There is no dearth of funds, he clarified.
“We have already paid the first installment amount to the department; it is the officials here who mistook,’’ he said. He also said there is no deadline to release the first installment, which will be released immediately. “Once the first installment is released and paid, we shall take up the second one, and by December it is expected to complete’’ he added.
On meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his Bengaluru visit on November 13 to discuss relief compensation, the DCM said they had written to the PMO but were yet to receive a response. “Once we get confirmation, we will decide on taking an all-party delegation to Delhi,” he said.
On farmers’ suicides, he said cases had declined following legislation regulating microfinance companies and a six-month deferment of loan repayments. Suicides, however, continue among farmers who borrow from private moneylenders, who are not covered by the law, he added.