Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan provided assistance to banana farmers of Burhanpur district on crop damage. This amount was given to the affected people for the damage to the crops in the months of April-May and June in the district this year.
Chief Minister Chouhan transferred crop compensation amount of Rs. 41 crore 85 lakh to 4261 farmers from the CM’s residence office with a single click. The area of affected crops was 3690 hectares. Out of this, the area of affected banana crop is 3470 hectares and that of other crops is 219 hectares. There are 3960 banana crop producer farmers and other crop producer farmers are 301.
It is notable that the banana of Burhanpur is exported to numerous countries of the world. The state government has given financial relief to the banana producing farmers, relieving them from the crisis of crop getting damaged. Banana production has also been selected in Burhanpur district under “One District – One Product”. Along with the states of the country, the banana of Burhanpur is also exported to other countries. Several banana chips units and ripening chambers have been set-up here.
Chief Minister Chouhan virtually said in the programme organised in Burhanpur to provide relief to the farmers that the government has changed many parameters for the welfare of the farmers. Such changes have been made from time to time in the Revenue Book Circular, which has benefited the farmers. Now farmers are being given more relief amount for damage to crops, houses and loss of lives of cattle. The Chief Minister informed that the state government has also created a new category on crop damage. Now the farmers who suffer 25% to 33% crop loss will also get relief amount. The second range is 33 to 50% damage. They are also being given relief at an increased rate. Apart from this, a provision has been made to give relief amount considering more than 50% damage as total loss. Many states do not have a loss range of 25 to 33%. The state government has doubled the relief amount in all categories.
Chief Minister Chouhan said that the compensation rate for banana crop has been doubled. According to this important amendment, now the relief amount will be increased from Rs. 15 thousand to Rs. 30 thousand per hectare if the farmer suffers 25 to 33 percent damage to his banana crops. Similarly, in case of 33 to 50 percent damage, the relief amount will be increased from Rs. 27 thousand to Rs. 54 thousand per hectare. If the damage is more than 50 percent, then the relief amount will be Rs. 2 lakh per hectare instead of one lakh.
Chief Minister Chouhan said that the provision of providing maximum amount to the farmers for crop damage has also been made in the state. Earlier, the maximum amount given was up to Rs.3 lakh, which can now be given up to a maximum of Rs.6 lakh. CM Chouhan instructed the officials to make insurance arrangements for horticulture crops as well. CM Shri Chouhan said that the farmers who work day and night need not worry. Only farmers can understand the pain caused by any kind of natural calamity. Crops were destroyed in Burhanpur district earlier also, at that time the then Member of Parliament Late Nandkumar Singh Chouhan raised the problem of the farmers. The state government has done the work of providing adequate assistance to the farmers in times of crisis. In the past, the help given to the farmers during such crisis was also important because many farmers did not have insurance. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan said that Burhanpur has become known throughout the country for providing tap water to every household. Prior to this, Burhanpur has been recognised as the largest banana producing district.
Various initiatives taken for the welfare of farmers
Chief Minister Chouhan said that the previous government in Madhya Pradesh had made farmers defaulters. The present state government gave relief to the farmers by paying approximately Rs.2200 crores. In the last 3 years, an amount of 20 thousand crores was paid for the insurance claims of more than 1.5 crore farmers. Benefits worth close to Rs 3 lakh crore were transferred to the accounts of the farmers. Similarly, agricultural loans worth Rs 49 thousand crores were given at zero percent interest. The amount of Mukhyamantri Kisan-Kalyan Yojana has been increased by 1.5 times instead of 4 thousand annually to 6 thousand rupees. The farmer also receives an annual amount of 6 thousand from the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi. In this way the farmer will get an amount of Rs 12 thousand in twelve months. The farmer’s family also benefits from other schemes. These include Ladli Lakshmi, Ladli Bahna, Ujjwala Yojana, tuition fee assistance along with medical and engineering college fees and housing schemes for scoring more than 70 percent marks in class 12th.
Beneficiaries said that the government should be like this
Chief Minister Chouhan also discussed with farmers regarding government schemes through video conference. Chief Minister Shri Chouhan discussed with Savita Chowdhary, Digambar, Sudhakar Chowdhary and Ramakrishna Korku. All these farmers received relief amount between Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 3 lakh. Ramakrishna Korku told Chief Minister Chouhan that he planted bananas in two and a half acres while doing agriculture work in five acres. Out of these, crops were damaged in one and a half acres. Relief amount of one lakh 30 thousand has been received from the state government as relief amount. Government should be like this.
Burhanpur district is growing on the path of progress
Chief Minister Chouhan informed that in the year 2003, the irrigation capacity in Burhanpur district was only 1675 hectare, which has now increased to 23 thousand 158 hectare. The area under horticulture crops have increased almost three times, which at present is more than 32 thousand hectares. Credit cards have been issued to more than 50 thousand farmers in the district.
Initially, through video conference, Revenue Minister Govind Singh Rajput apprised about the farmer-welfare works done in the state on the initiative of Chief Minister Chouhan. Rajput said that the Cabinet Ministers has doubled the amount given to the farmers for crop damage. Necessary amendments have been made in the Revenue Book Circular. From time to time, the Chief Minister takes important decisions to provide relief to the farmers.
Burhanpur district is the leading district in banana production in Madhya Pradesh, in which banana crop is cultivated in 23 thousand 639 hectares by 18 thousand 840 farmers.
Government increased the rates of relief
| Type of loss | Rate applicable from the year 2003 | Rate applicable at present |
| Casualty | Rs 50 thousand per deceased | Rs 4 lakh per deceased |
| Animal loss | loss Rs 625 to Rs 4125 per animal | Rs 4 thousand to Rs 37 thousand 500 per animal |
| House damage | Rs 2 thousand to Rs 12 thousand | Rs 4 thousand to Rs 1 lakh 20 thousand per house |
| Crop damage | Rs. 1 thousand per hectare-2 thousand rupees per hectare | 5 thousand rupees per hectare-32 thousand rupees per hectare |
| Damage to household items | Rs.1000 per family | Rs.5000 per family |
The total production of banana in the district is about 16 lakh 54 thousand 730 metric tonnes.
• In the district, mainly banana tissue culture crop G-9, Basrai, Harshali, Shrimanthi, 30 percent and 70 percent of varieties are planted by (bulbs).
• Estimated cost of banana crop in the district – preparation of cultivation, tissue culture plants, manure, insecticides, fertlizers, irrigation with drip irrigation, weeding, other labor, harvesting, etc. amount of banana tissue culture Rs. 3 lakh 19 thousand 262 per The amount of hectare and banana suckers is Rs 2 lakh 80 thousand 844 per hectare is spent by the farmers.
• In the district under “one district – one product” pre-processing units of banana crop such as 28 units of banana chips and one unit of banana powder have been established.
• Earlier, there was no export of banana crop in the district, but now according to the intention of Chief Minister Shri Chouhan, a meeting was held between exporters and farmers for the export of banana crop produced in the district to give recognition to the banana crop at the national and international level. The work of production of export quality bananas is conducted. At present, about 25 to 30 thousand metric tonnes of bananas are being exported annually from Burhanpur district to Iraq, Iran, Dubai, Turkey and other countries.
