Bengaluru, Nov 11 Karnataka Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday assured farmers that the state government would provide Rs 5,000 in drought relief to every eligible farmer in two instalments, irrespective of whether the Centre releases its share, and said discrepancies in payments would be rectified.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the first instalment of Rs 2,500 had already been released and the government had worked out a formula to ensure that the assistance reached all eligible beneficiaries.
“Nobody needs to panic. Even if the Centre does not provide the funds, we have decided to give up to Rs 5,000. We will pay it in two instalments,” Shivakumar said.
The CM noted that some farmers had not received the amount due to incorrect bank account details and loan adjustments, and the government was verifying the relevant documents to resolve the issues.
“The money has reached accounts where the account numbers and other details are correct. We will rectify the cases where the money has not reached the beneficiaries,” he said.
Clarifying the calculation of the relief amount, Shivakumar said Rs 2,500 per acre had been fixed, while the total assistance promised to each farmer was Rs 5,000.
“If there is any variation, I will look into those cases separately. Nobody needs to worry,” he said.
Dismissing the suggestion that the payment issue involved lapses by officials, he said the money was being transferred through a common system and the discrepancies were mainly related to bank accounts and loan adjustments.
Deputy Chief Minister G Parameshwara also said the government would immediately rectify discrepancies in drought relief payments and ensure that every eligible farmer family received the announced compensation.
Addressing the media here, he said the state government had earmarked Rs 1,250 crore for the first phase of relief, covering around 50 lakh farmer families, and proposed an equal amount for the second phase.
“Some farmers have received Rs 1,500, while others have received Rs 2,000. It appears that officials have calculated the amount on a per-acre basis while transferring the money through DBT. We have already instructed them to rectify this lapse,” he said.
Parameshwara, who holds the revenue portfolio, said the government had announced Rs 2,500 per farmer family in the Assembly, but the order was misunderstood at the officials’ level, resulting in discrepancies.
There was no financial constraint, as the necessary funds had already been released to the concerned department, he clarified.
According to the Deputy CM, the confusion had arisen due to a misunderstanding of the NDRF guidelines. Officials had been instructed to follow the prescribed minimum compensation of Rs 1,500 per hectare.
The government intended to provide Rs 2,500 each to around 50 lakh eligible farmer families in the first phase and another Rs 2,500 in the second phase, taking the total assistance to Rs 5,000 per family.
“The estimated amount of Rs 1,250 crore for the first phase will be distributed. We will not allow injustice to any farmer in the distribution of relief,” he said.
The difference in payments would be released after obtaining Finance Department approval. The government would also examine whether the pending amount could be combined with the second instalment and paid as Rs 3,000 or Rs 3,500, depending on the amount already received by beneficiaries.
A pilot exercise had begun in Yadgir district and would be extended to all districts.
The second instalment of Rs 2,500 would be distributed after the first phase was completed and the government obtained a clear picture of the payments, he said.
Regarding the state’s pending central assistance, Parameshwara said the government had written to it over two weeks ago seeking an appointment but had received no response.
He said the state would consider taking an all-party delegation to Delhi once an audience with the Prime Minister was granted.
On broader agrarian issues, he highlighted a decline in farmer suicides compared to previous years.
The government’s legislation to regulate microfinance institutions and its decision to defer loan repayments for six months would help prevent harassment of farmers, he said.
Addressing the recent price hikes on essential commodities like milk and curd, Parameshwara said the government did not wish to justify the price rise but pointed to the Centre’s “failure” to provide Karnataka its fair share of financial assistance.
“If the Centre provides the state with the funds it is entitled to, there will not be an additional financial burden on the state. In that situation, there would be no compulsion to increase prices,” he said.
He noted that milk production in Karnataka had declined this year and the government had a responsibility to ensure remunerative prices for milk producers. “Rising diesel and agricultural input costs had also added to farmers’ difficulties.
(PTI News)
