Final report of crop damage to be ready by Nov 15: Bawankule
   Date :08-Nov-2019

Guardian Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule addressing a press conference. Tekchand Savarkar, Ravindra Thakre, Mallikarjun Reddy and Krishna Khopde look on. 
 
Principal Correspondent :
 
Gramsabha to finalise the damage so that farmers should not face trouble while receiving compensation, says Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Guardian Minister 
 
Admitting that recent heavy rains damaged crops to a large extent in district, Chandrashekhar Bawankule, Guardian Minister said, “Government has vowed to provide all help to farmers and no peasant will be deprived of compensation. With a view not to have any loophole in providing the help, a proper calculation of damages would be conducted and put before the Gramsabha that would take final decision. Final report of crop damage would be ready by November 15.”
 
In recent untimely rains, crops like Orange, Sweetlime, Cotton, Soyabean, Jowar, Corn in Katol, Narkhed, Kalmeshwar talukas were damaged. Government has conducted survey of damages. Bawankule reviewed the survey and shared detail information about it with mediapersons on Thursday at Bachat Bhavan. Bawankule said, “Rain has damaged crop in 32,000 hectare farm. I have instructed officials to convene Gramsabha from November 11, conduct Panchnamas and submit the reports to Gram Panchayat. Gramsabha will check the reports to avoid loophole.
 
Government wants farmers should not face trouble while claiming money under crop insurance.” In October, crops like Cotton, Soyabean, Orange in 10,860 hectare farm got damaged while in September crop on 21,953 hectare farm was damaged. Similarly, in July, crop loss due to rain was reported on 3,993 hectare land. Bawankule instructed the officials to hold gramsabhas of 778 gram panchayats of Nagpur district on November 11, 12, 13 and submit the crop damage survey reports. Gram Sabha will check the reports in presence of Talathi, Agriculture Assistant, Public Representatives.
 
Tehsildar, Agriculture Development Officer will finalise the reports and provide a copy to MLAs. Sub-Divisional Officer will send final report to Government by November 15. Survey of damage of Orange crop in Katol, Narkhed was not done by Agriculture Department. Farmers have claimed that their 90% crops of Orange and Cotton was damaged. Tehsildar and Agriculture Officer should seriously pay attention to these damages, pointed out Bawankule. Farmers owning 51,000 hectare farm have insured their crops. But most of them face problems due to lack of information, so Government has decided to display the name of Coordinator of crop insurance company with his or her mobile number on the board of Gram Panchayat, Bawankule made it clear. “Under Prime Minister Kisan Yojana, 1.29 lakh farmers will get Rs 6,000 annually. About 39,000 farmers got first installment. We have kept target of 15,000 quintal Harbara and 6,000 quintal wheat,” Bawankule informed. Tekchand Savarkar, Kamptee MLA; Mallikarjun Reddy, ex-MLA; Ravindra Thakre, District Collector and others were present. Earlier, Bawankule held a meeting which was attended by MLA Sameer Meghe, Tekchand Savarkar, Mallikarjun Reddy and others. 
 
‘I always abide by party rules’ The speculations are doing rounds about Chandrashekhar Bawankule becoming State President of Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). Against this backdrop, when asked, Bawankule made it clear, “I am a worker of BJP since 1992 and whatever responsibility the party bestowed up on me, I fulfilled them. I am not aware about what responsibility the party may give to me but whatever the party asks me to do, I shall abide by it.” The Guardian Minister refuted the reports of Shiv Sena or other parties offering him to join them and lead their party in Vidarbha. Bawankule was all praises for Devendra Fadnavis and said confidently that only he would become the new Chief Minister.