Dhankar directs state banks not to recover dues from hail-hit farmers

Taking note of the losses suffered by farmers due to rains and hailstorm, state agriculture minister Om Prakash Dhankar on Thursday visited half a dozen villages of Badhra constituency of Bhiwani district and directed state-run banks not to recover dues from farmers.

Taking note of the losses suffered by farmers due to rains and hailstorm, state agriculture minister Om Prakash Dhankar on Thursday visited half a dozen villages of Badhra constituency of Bhiwani district and directed state-run banks not to recover dues from farmers.

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While taking stock of crop losses, the minister said that rain coupled with hailstorm had first affected the produce at Jhajjar, Rewari and Mahendergarh districts, and later at several villages of Bhiwani district.

Observing that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has always been sensitive towards the need of farmers whenever they are in crisis, Dhankar said that his government had already ordered a special ‘girdawari’ (survey) by the agriculture and revenue department officials to assess the loss.

"Once the assessment is done, the affected farmers would be given compensation without any further loss of time,” he said while urging farmers to get their crops insured.

Clarifying his government’s stand on implementing the Swaminathan commission report, the minister said, “We have recommended its implementation to the central government and it would be done in a phased manner”.

He further said that the report of the Swaminathan commission was likely to be implemented with 10% profit on crops in the first year, which may be further enhanced in future.