SRIKAKULAM: Although the former TDP government had sanctioned Rs 282 crore for the cyclone Titli-hit farmers, the State government has started conducting resurvey for the additional compensation to the same beneficiaries.
But certain anomalies were allegedly found during the selection of eligible beneficiaries.
It was learnt that previously those who had not even a cent of land had obtained compensation.
In some cases, the coconut farmers got compensation for cashew crop damage, while the cashew farmers got compensation for damage to coconut trees.
Only small and marginal farmers were taken into account for the payment of compensation. More than 7,000 farmers were refused compensation on the ground of having more than five acres and for a few other reasons.
The former government had refused compensation to those farmers who owned more than five acres of land considering them as big farmers.
The eligible Uddanam farmers, who received compensation earlier are eagerly awaiting the additional compensation promised by the YSRC government.
Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy had started the disbursement of additional compensation to the Titli-hit farmers.
He granted Rs 283 crore as additional compensation and started disbursing it on September 6 at Palasa. Only a few farmers have received payment of additional compensation.
In the name of re-verification for additional compensation, horticulture officials in association with revenue and other officials concerned are verifying the eligibility of the earlier beneficiaries for making additional payment.
For example, Bodda Subba Rao, a farmer of Pedda Kojjiriya, was denied compensation granted for the cyclone Titli-hit farmers on the ground that he has more than five acres of land. But now he is now made eligible and awaits compensation.
Previously, the payment was made to about 1.05 lakh cyclone Titli-hit farmers. The Chief Minister had promised the additional compensation to them at `1,500 per coconut tree and `20,000 per each hectare of cashew trees during the Praja Sankalpa Yatra.
Horticulture Additional Director RV Prasad said the farmers, who were previously rejected on grounds of having more than five acres of land, have been considered as eligible for additional compensation later.
Out of the more than 7,055 farmers rejected compensation, about 6,611 farmers were made eligible and the payment would be made shortly.
In the aftermath of cyclone Titli, about 15 lakh coconut trees over 15,000 hectares were damaged in the Uddanam region. The former TDP government had paid Rs 1,500 for the damage of coconut tree and Rs 30,000 per hectare for the damaged cashew crop. Based on these calculations, then the government had sanctioned Rs 282 crore.
Now, as the teams are conducting the resurvey in the cyclone-hit areas, the additional compensation will be credited to the accounts of all eligible farmers only after completion of the resurvey, Prasad said.