NDA government more prompt than UPA in addressing farmers' woes: BJP

NEW DELHI: BJP today accused the previous Congress government of failing to provide prompt relief to farmers for crop damage even as it claimed that the NDA dispensation led by it has acted with alacrity and sensitivity on issues affecting farmers' interests.

"In a similar situation earlier, when farmers suffered heavy crop damage due to unseasonal rain and hailstorm, a comparable initiative was not taken by the earlier government.

"This (NDA) government has gone ahead in giving a sensitive and timely response. We will certainly be going from village to village to say that the government has been very receptive to suggestions which have come and have responded to them," said Union Minister Nirmala Sitharaman.

The BJP-led NDA government has gone forward with great sensitivity at a time when Indian farmers are terribly distressed due to unseasonal rains, she added.

She claimed that coming to the aid of farmers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced 1.5-times the relief and also expanded the coverage in terms of the number of farmers who would benefit from it.

Sitharaman said it is a "very well received" and timely step that was required to help the farmers in distress.