Now Reading: Kerala seeks ₹110 crore central aid for rain-hit farmers
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Kerala seeks ₹110 crore central aid for rain-hit farmers
Kerala has sought ₹110 crore in urgent central assistance for its flood-hit farm sector. Agriculture Minister T Siddique has written to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan requesting ₹100 crore for crop losses…
The Story in Brief
Kerala has sought ₹110 crore in urgent central assistance for its flood-hit farm sector. Agriculture Minister T Siddique has written to Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan requesting ₹100 crore for crop losses and ₹10 crore to restore soil fertility. The Hindu Business Line reports a preliminary loss estimate of ₹99.29 crore, with 36,829 farmers affected across 3,264 hectares, while The Hindu pegs losses at ₹127.61 crore affecting 45,904 farmers across 9,332 hectares. The state has also asked for a central team to visit Alappuzha, Kuttanad, Wayanad, Pathanamthitta and Kottayam. A special meeting with financial institutions has been called for Tuesday to discuss loan relief and replanting.
The Indian Opinion
The usual blame game between state and Centre over disaster relief is playing out, but the real issue is the backlog of unpaid compensation since 2022. Both sides must move beyond posturing. The special meeting on Tuesday, involving banks and agencies, will test whether coordination can speed up verification. A central team's field assessment should not become another delay. Farmers in Kuttanad and Wayanad need cash, not promises. The soil fertility restoration plan is welcome, but will it get the promised ₹10 crore without bureaucratic hurdles?
Sources (2): thehindubusinessline.com, thehindu.com
This story was synthesised by AI from the 2 sources linked above.
Updated: this story now draws on 2 sources.
