Jaipur, 28 February. The Chief Minister Smt. Vasundhara Raje has announced relief package for the farmers affected by the hailstorm which struck the state recently. Over 4,400 villages in 110 Tehsils of 21 districts have been affected by this natural calamity. The relief package will be distributed by the Disaster Management & Relief Department.

Under the package the farmers of non-irrigated area who have suffered 50 percent damage of crop due to hailstorm will be provided Rs. 4500 per hectare as agricultural input-grant. Similarly, farmers of irrigated areas and using electricity for irrigation will be provided Rs. 9000 per hectare, while farmers who use diesel pump sets for irrigation will be provided Rs. 12,000 per hectare agricultural input-grant.

According to the package small and marginal farmers who have suffered more than 50 percent crop damage will be exempted from paying electricity bills of four months. Likewise farmers who have suffered more than 50 percent crop damage will also be exempted from the ‘Abiyana’ or irrigation tax.

The district collectors have been directed to prepare Girdavari report of the hailstorm affected villages in the concerned district. Villages which have suffered more than 50 percent damage will be declared scarcity hit under Drought code after receipt of the Girdavari report.  If any village declared scarcity hit, recovery of land-revenue and short-term loan from affected farmers will be postponed. The short-term loans will be converted into medium term loans. Apart from this financial assistance would be provided in the case of damage of houses, loss of lives, injury and death of animals.

If the Rabi crop has suffered damage in 21 districts covered under Climate Based Crop Insurance Scheme and 12 districts under Modified National Agricultural Insurance Scheme, insurance companies will be asked to provide compensation as per the directions of the Chief Minister.