Crop Loss In March Rains

Till this week, OP Dhankar, a minister in Haryana, was unheard of in this small village in Telangana where farmers spend hours in 40-degree heat trying to cultivate cotton, paddy and maize. Today, a 23-year-old says that Mr Dhankar owes him a public apology.

Even as concerns rise about whether Rajasthan, that never reported suicides by farmers despite four years of drought, is turning into a state of farmer suicides, the state government is in damage control mode saying that the agricultural crisis isn't necessarily responsible for 11 farmers killing themselves in the last 45 days.

Concerned over suicide of "103 farmers" due to crop loss, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today asked the Uttar Pradesh government to immediately distribute among farmers Rs 506 crore given to it by the Centre for disaster relief.

Rain-hit farmers who are reeling under severe debt due to crop losses following unseasonal rains and hailstorm have received another shock as they are being handed a paltry sum of Rs 63 as compensation.

Unseasonal rain and hailstorm in March have brought Uttar Pradesh to the brink of an agrarian crisis, affecting 25 of the state's 80 districts. Crop losses have dealt a particularly severe blow to landless farmers, who are emerging the invisible casualties of the agrarian crisis.

The Punjab government has projected a damage of around three lakh hectares of farming due to this year's unseasonal rains. By state government estimates most standing crops - wheat, mustard, potato, and grams - have been damaged between February and March because of hailstorms and heavy rains.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi today visited Kota in Rajasthan to meet the farmers and review their losses to due to this year's unseasonal rains and hailstorms. According to State Government estimates, 33 people have died and more than 50 per cent of crops have been destroyed in over 3000 villages in the state.

Unseasonal rains, twice in two weeks, have wreaked havoc in lives of farmers in many parts of the country including Uttar Pradesh where 25 out of 80 districts have been affected. To make matters worse the National Corp Insurance Programme or NCIP, which is meant to help the farmers, has been a non-starter.

From Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to parts of Maharashtra, the unseasonal showers over the weekend have dashed the hopes of thousands or farmers. The yield for crops like wheat, potato, mustard, onion is likely to be adversely impacted by the wet spell.

Unseasonal rains over the last two days have caused widespread crop damage across north and western India, raising concern in the states and in Parliament.

Till this week, OP Dhankar, a minister in Haryana, was unheard of in this small village in Telangana where farmers spend hours in 40-degree heat trying to cultivate cotton, paddy and maize. Today, a 23-year-old says that Mr Dhankar owes him a public apology.

Even as concerns rise about whether Rajasthan, that never reported suicides by farmers despite four years of drought, is turning into a state of farmer suicides, the state government is in damage control mode saying that the agricultural crisis isn't necessarily responsible for 11 farmers killing themselves in the last 45 days.

Concerned over suicide of "103 farmers" due to crop loss, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today asked the Uttar Pradesh government to immediately distribute among farmers Rs 506 crore given to it by the Centre for disaster relief.

Rain-hit farmers who are reeling under severe debt due to crop losses following unseasonal rains and hailstorm have received another shock as they are being handed a paltry sum of Rs 63 as compensation.

Unseasonal rain and hailstorm in March have brought Uttar Pradesh to the brink of an agrarian crisis, affecting 25 of the state's 80 districts. Crop losses have dealt a particularly severe blow to landless farmers, who are emerging the invisible casualties of the agrarian crisis.

The Punjab government has projected a damage of around three lakh hectares of farming due to this year's unseasonal rains. By state government estimates most standing crops - wheat, mustard, potato, and grams - have been damaged between February and March because of hailstorms and heavy rains.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi today visited Kota in Rajasthan to meet the farmers and review their losses to due to this year's unseasonal rains and hailstorms. According to State Government estimates, 33 people have died and more than 50 per cent of crops have been destroyed in over 3000 villages in the state.

Unseasonal rains, twice in two weeks, have wreaked havoc in lives of farmers in many parts of the country including Uttar Pradesh where 25 out of 80 districts have been affected. To make matters worse the National Corp Insurance Programme or NCIP, which is meant to help the farmers, has been a non-starter.

From Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to parts of Maharashtra, the unseasonal showers over the weekend have dashed the hopes of thousands or farmers. The yield for crops like wheat, potato, mustard, onion is likely to be adversely impacted by the wet spell.

Unseasonal rains over the last two days have caused widespread crop damage across north and western India, raising concern in the states and in Parliament.