Maharashtra withdraws farmer slate slur

The government has decided to suspend and initiate inquiry in the humiliating assessment system to compensate hailstorm affected farmers in the state.

On Wednesday, DNA had reported that farmers in hailstorm affected district of Osmanabad were asked to hold slates displaying their name and crop details, akin to criminals, and then took pictures to award compensation money.

"As per the standard procedure, officers from the Revenue and Agrigulture department have to visit the affected farms and as per the gel mapping, find out the exact damage and take the digital record," said RV Game, collector of Osmanabad, "Handing slates to farmers is the wrong method and no one was asked to do this. We have taken cognisance of these incidents and initiated the inquiry under the deputy collector."

Meanwhile, the opposition feels that the action is too little and too less. State Congress Chief Ashok Chavan has alleged that the government has clearly lost it's focus while organizing grand investment events in five star hotels.

"We never seen such an anti-farmer government in Maharashtra," he said. "They are laying out the red carpet for industrialists while farmers are left in the lurch and are getting step-motherly treatment." 

Farmer organizations have also objected to the practice. "Compensation for the pink bollworm damage is still pending," said Vijay Javandia, founder of Shetkari Sanghatana. "The loan waiver process is still pending and government has greatly reduced the number of beneficiaries. The humiliation meted to the farmers clearly indicate that they are not a priority."

Ten days ago, incessant spells of hailstorm destroyed rabi crops and orchards spread over 2.90 lakh hectares in the state.