AAP government to announce relief package for rain-hit farmers soon

NEW DELHI: Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal today said his government would 'very soon' announce a relief package for the Delhi farmers whose crops were damaged due to untimely rain and hailstorm in March.

Meeting a delegation of AAP MLAs from rural Delhi, Kejriwal directed them to assure the farmers that the government was with them and would compensate their crop losses, said an AAP statement.

He directed the party MLAs from Matiyala, Najafgarh, Mundka and Narela constituencies to go among the affected farmers and assess the losses and assure them that the government would "compensate their losses and solve all their problems on war-footing".

The MLAs told the Chief Minister that agriculture was badly hit by the untimely rain in their constituencies and the farmers were in 'deep trouble' due to losses to the standing crops.

Najafgarh MLA Kailash Gehlot said "untimely rain caused loss of thousands of acres of crops in the state and farmers investment was drowned."

Gulab Singh, Matiyala MLA, urged Kejriwal to issue directions for assessment of losses suffered by the farmers and announce relief package for them.

After the meeting, the MLAs expressed confidence that the government will soon announce a relief package for the farmers to save them from penury.

Earlier, the issue of crop damages due to untimely rain was raised by Congress and the party's Delhi unit president Ajay Maken had visited three affected villages in Bawana last month and demanded special assistance for the affected farmers.Some details have yet to be determined and the pact will take effect only if a final deal is agreed by June 30, a big "if" which can still scupper an agreement.