JAISALMER: A10-member central inter-ministerial team has reached Jaisalmer to assess the Kharif crop damage due to drought.
The team had a word with the public representatives and officials at the district collectorate. District collector Pratibha Singh apprised the team of the actual situation through a PPT presentation.
The delegation, including Union Jal Aayog director HS Sengar and NITI Aayog assistant director Shivcharan Meena, discussed crop damage with officials from agriculture, Indira Gandhi Canal Project, animal husbandry, revenue, and other departments.
The public representatives sought relief and asked the team to increase the employment days from 100 to 200 days in MGNREGA.
Jila pramukh Pratap Singh, pradhans from various panchayat samitis, former jila pramukh Anjana Meghwal, additional district collector Hari Singh Meena, CEO Dr T Shubhmangla, tehsildars, development officials, and other district officials were also present.
Sengar assured that the Centre will be apprised of the tough situation and speedy relief.
The district collector said more than 1.90 lakh farmers were affected due to Kharif crop damage in 2021, who have to be disturbed the agriculture input subsidy. The proposal has been sent to make a budget provision of Rs 242.72 crore, she said.
She said out of 859 villages, 628 villages were scarcity-hit in the district.
Solnaki and Meghwal along with the team of pradhans said this time too, after July 22 there were no rains for 45 days and the seeds sown by farmers got damaged.
The public representatives said relief and assistance have to be started at an extensive level to save the livestock.
They said landless cattle rearers should also be given benefits from cattle camps. They sought an amendment in the act made in 2015 to benefit the marginal and small farmers.
