Chandigarh:
With a rainfall deficit of 65 per cent this monsoon, the Haryana government today declared the entire state as "drought-affected".
Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said a special girdawari -- a survey to assess the losses caused to farmers -- will be conducted.
The Chief Minister, who was addressing a press conference after a meeting with senior officers of the state government, said that for farmers who have lost more than 50 per cent of their crops of paddy and cotton, a compensation of Rs 4000 per acre would be given.
However, in case of damage to other crops, he said, it would be Rs 3,500 per acre.
"The norms of the central government are to give compensation of Rs 1,800 and Rs 3,600," he pointed out.
According to the data collected from the India Meteorological Department for the period between June 1 and August 31,2014, the state has continued to experience over 65 per cent rainfall deficit.
Eighteen out of 21 districts in the state have received less than 50 per cent rainfall. Haryana was earlier declared drought-hit in 2002.
The Chief Minister, who earlier held a meeting with senior government officials to take stock of the situation in view of the scanty rainfall, said that in case of more than 50 per cent damage to the crops of paddy and cotton, a compensation of Rs 4,000 per acre would be given.
The state government has already submitted a memorandum to the central government seeking a special package of Rs 4829.75 crore, said the Chief Minister, and expressed hope that the central government would respond positively and send its team at the earliest to assess the loss.