Calamity-Hit Farmers In Madhya Pradesh To Get Rs 5,000 As Minimum Aid

The Congress-led government in Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday announced to provide Rs 5,000 in minimum compensation to small and marginal farmers in the event of crop loss due to natural calamities.

Revenue and Transport Minister Govind Singh Rajput also said that the government has taken several administrative steps including filling up vacant posts of Patwaris -- or revenue officials -- for speedy work.

The Kamal Nath-led government recently completed six months in power.

"The state government has decided that minimum compensation for the small and marginal farmers would be Rs 5000 in case of crop loss due to a natural calamity. We have made amendments to this effect in rules," Mr Rajput told a press conference.

The minister said the government had also taken measures like filling up vacant posts of Patwaris to fast track the redressal of matters pertaining to land.

"As per a pilot project being launched in two districts of the state, Patwaris would be given laptops for expediting processing of the land-related applications," he said.

The minister further said that the government had initiated a process to take back about 1000 acres of vacant land lying unused in the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) campus in Bhopal.

The government has written a letter to Union Ministry of Heavy Industries and Public Enterprises in this regard.

"The land was allotted to BHEL at the time of its inception but it is still lying unused," Mr Rajput said about the purpose behind reclaiming the land.