Shillong, Mar 15: The state government has sanctioned over Rs 6.07 crore as relief to farmers for crops damaged by natural disasters during the past two years, Agriculture and Farmer’s Welfare Minister Banteidor Lyngdoh informed the Assembly on Tuesday.
Of this, Rs 1.37 crore was given to farmers in West Jaintia Hills, Rs 6.3 lakh in East Jaintia Hills, Rs 25.27 lakh in South West Khasi Hills, Rs 1.96 crore in West Khasi Hills, Rs 9.25 lakh in East Garo Hills, Rs 1.54 crore in Ri Bhoi and Rs 78.06 lakh in East Khasi Hills, Lyngdoh said.
He was replying to a zero hour notice moved by Mawsynram legislator Himalaya Shangpliang.
According to him, the estimated crop damage for the year 2020-21 is approximately 12,000 hectares affecting 28,252 farmers.
For the year 2021-22, the estimated crop damage reported till November last year has been comparatively on the lower side as compared to the year 2020-21, he said adding the total crop damage for the year 2021-22 till November 2021 has been 156.986 hectares causing loss of farmers at an estimated of Rs 34.13 lakhs.
On the allegation that the government has provided false data regarding the income of the farmers in the state, Lyngdoh said that the survey has been conducted independently by the National Statistical Office (NSO), Ministry of Statistics and Programme Implementation (MOSPI), Government of India adding that the data was not provided by the state government which is the same for all the other states as well.
As per the report, he said the data has been collected from 780 households in 78 villages across Meghalaya. The report claims that the average income of farmers in Meghalaya at Rs 29,384 per month is the highest in the country while the average income of farmers in Punjab is at Rs 26,701 per month which is below Meghalaya.
“However, there is no denying to the fact that most farmers in general have to face challenges on a regular basis at different levels,” Lyngdoh said while stating that the government is cognizant of the challenges faced by the farmers and has been working tirelessly towards making the life of each farmer in the state better.
Under the FOCUS programme, the minister said so far 28,754 farmers have been given a total sum of Rs 14.37 crore and more are on the way.
Besides FOCUS, various mission mode schemes such as the Lakadong mission, Honey mission and Mushroom mission etc have also benefited thousands of farmers across the state and will benefit more with the launch of newer schemes like Ginger mission as announced by the Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma in his budget speech.
“The disbursement of relief funds to farmers during natural disasters also speaks volumes about how the government cares deeply about the farmers in the state,” he stated.
