IFFCO to give Rs 10 crore for distressed farmers

NEW DELHI: Fertiliser cooperative federation IFFCO today pledged Rs 10 crore towards financial assistance for farmers in distress, while Rs 1 lakh will be given to the family of Gajendra Singh, who committed suicide here yesterday at an AAP rally.

The cooperative body will pay up to Rs 25,000 per farmer within the next three months, depending on the damages.

"Money will be routed through the IFFCO Kisan Sewa Trust (IKST), which was instituted for the purpose of providing relief to farmers in times of distress," IFFCO Chairman Balvinder Singh Nakai said in a statement.

The federation will mobilise its entire marketing staff and member societies to identify acutely distressed farmers.

"We have deployed our marketing staff, member societies, delegates and even directors to identify distressed farmers who are in dire need of financial assistance. We will immediately provide them the support of up to Rs 25,000, apart from government assistance," IFFCO Managing Director U S Awasthi said.

He added that IFFCO has also decided to give an additional Rs 1 lakh to the family of Gajendra Singh, the 41-year-old farmer from Dausa, Rajasthan, who committed suicide in the capital yesterday.