Crop assessment delayed but Haryana districts yet to appoint ‘Kshatipurti Sahayaks’

Kshatipurti Sahayaks’ are assistants from rural areas appointed to assist revenue officials (patwaris) in verifying rabi crops damage; according to senior revenue officials, the government has decided to appoint these assistants as nearly 40% posts of patwaris in the state are lying vacant and most patwaris have the charge of two or more patwar circles (a revenue block consists of a bigger village or a few smaller villages).

A week after the Haryana government announced to appoint ‘Kshatipurti Sahayaks’ -- assistants from rural areas to assist revenue officials (patwaris) in verifying rabi crops damaged due to untimely rainfall and hailstorm across the state, the administrations of Rohtak and other districts have failed to bring rope them in. Fatehabad, however, has appointed 17 ‘Kshatipurti Sahayaks’.

A farmer inspects his wheat crop, affected due to rains and strong winds, at a village on the outskirts of Gurugram. (PTI File)

According to senior revenue officials, the government has decided to appoint these assistants as nearly 40% posts of patwaris in the state are lying vacant and most patwaris have the charge of two or more patwar circles (a revenue block consists of a bigger village or a few smaller villages).

When contacted, Rohtak deputy director (agriculture) Mahabir Singh said the revenue department has not hired any ‘Kshatipurti Sahayak’ and crop assessment process is underway.

Rohtak deputy commissioner Ajay Kumar said he has directed the revenue officials to appoint ‘Kshatipurti Sahayaks’ but as the area under damaged crop in their district is less, revenue officials will be able to complete the assessment soon.

“If required, these assistants will be roped in. By next week, the crop assessment process will be completed,” the DC added.

A patwari from Bhiwani said they have nearly 15 to 20 villages under them but ‘Kshatipurti Sahayaks’ are yet to be appointed.

“We have been directed to complete the girdawari within a week’s time and we have a huge workload. There has been large-scale crop damage but our manpower is less. As wheat harvesting is still going on in many areas, senior officials asked us to assess the loss on the standing crop. We have already completed the girdawari of mustard crop,” the official added.

Fatehabad district revenue officer Harsh Khangwal said they have hired 17 ‘Kshatipurti Sahayak’ and most of the crop damage has been in Ratia region of the district. Other areas have witnessed comparatively less loss.

According to revenue officials, the Kshatipurti Sahayak will be appointed only for this particular girdawari. They will get ₹5,000 for carrying out girdawari work on a block of 500 acres.

The job of the Kshatipurti Sahayak is to verify damage, collect details such as picture of the damaged field, location, time stamp, and where the crop is sold, and upload the same on the e-Kshatipurti portal and e-Girdawari portal.

Inderjit Singh, senior Samyukt Kisan Morcha leader, said the government is delaying the assessment process and farmers are bearing the brunt.

“The government’s decision of giving compensation of ₹9,000 per acre for 25-50% crop damage, ₹12,000 per acre for 75% damage and ₹15,000 per acre for 100% damage, is like rubbing salt on the farmers’ wounds. The government should give ₹50,000 per acre for 100% damage and waive off rate of interest on farm loans for this year,” he added.