Delhi farmers appeal to CM Arvind Kejriwal for conducting crop loss survey

NEW DELHI: Demanding immediate financial aid for rain-hit farmers, a delegation of peasants from Delhi today met Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and appealed to him to have a survey conducted to estimate the damage incurred to the crops and disburse compensation based on its findings.

The delegation also submitted a memorandum to Kejriwal and requested him to immediately announce financial compensation which may give relief to farmers, who are financially weak.

They also requested the government to have a survey conducted in the agricultural belt of the city to study the quantum of damage caused due to unseasonal rain in the month of March and April.

They asked to disburse compensation based on the result of survey.

The chief minister assured all possible help to the farmers affected due to the untimely rains.

"The government will do more than what the farmers expected from the government. We will fulfill all the promises made. Some might take time, while some would be announced very soon," he told the delegation.

During the meeting, Kejriwal also discussed the issue of dying water bodies in the rural areas of Delhi.

"Government would look into the issue and steps would be taken to revive the water bodies. Villages would be given the rights to decide on how they want to spend the money given to the village," he said.

According to a senior official, Kejriwal is likely to announce relief for rain-hit farmers at a public meeting in west Delhi's Mundka area tomorrow.

There are many farmers in the rural areas of Delhi and near the banks of Yamuna who are affected due to unseasonal rain. The chief minister is planning to make big announcement for their relief, a senior official said.

The issue of compensation for farmers was raised during the budget session in Delhi Assembly by AAP MLAs Devendra Sehrawat and Naresh Balyan.