KATHMANDU: Farmers of Banke, who suffered heavy losses in paddy crop due to unseasonal rains in mid-October last year, are currently getting only 36 per cent compensation.
According to the District Disaster Management Committee, Banke, it has been decided to give relief amounts in installments and only 36 per cent in the first installment after disbursement of much less amount from the Federal government than demanded for compensation.
Paddy crop worth Rs. 384.186 million was damaged in eight municipalities of Banke district due to the post-monsoon rain. However, the federal government has sent only Rs. 100 million to Banke.
Considering the Rs. 100 million sent to the district as the first installment, the committee has decided to distribute 36 per cent relief to the farmers, said Surya Bahadur Khatri, coordinator of the committee and chief district officer of Banke. According to him, it has been decided to deposit the relief amount in the bank account of the farmer.
Khatri informed that the federal and state governments will be requested to provide more funds and the funds will be distributed as soon as they become available.
As per the statistics received from the municipalities, paddy crops of 39,482 households in Banke had been damaged.
Paddy planted in 97,434 kattha of land of 5,310 farmers in Khajura Rural Municipalities and in 89,541 kattha of land of 5,922 farmers in Nepalgunj Sub-metropolitan City had been damaged.
Similarly, paddy planted in 13,467 katthas of land by 4,015 farmers in Baijnath Rural Municipality were damaged while paddy planted in 14,452 katthas by 2,194 farmers in Kohalpur Municipality was damaged.
In Raptisonari Rural Municipality, paddy planted in 69,327 katthas of land by 4,683 farmers was damaged.
Similarly, 7,568 farmers in Narainapur Rural Municipality had suffered damage of 19,130 katthas of land and 5,404 farmers in Duduwa Rural Municipality had lost paddy planted in 64,449 katthas of land.
The rains that occurred in the third week of October had damaged the ripened and harvested paddy crop. However, the farmers have not received compensation so far.