Blanket help for flood-hit farmers without cap on livestock loss

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Maharashtra govt has decided to offer blanket help to farmers across the state who were affected due to the loss of livestock and poultry birds due to floods and rain-related incidents that occurred during the last monsoon season.Relaxing earlier norms, the official help will be now offered to all affected farmers irrespective of any land holding criteria and without any capping on the number of dead cattle and poultry birds. The Government Resolution (GR) to this effect was issued by the Animal Husbandry and Dairying department on Friday.Earlier, only marginal, highly marginal landholders and landless farmers were considered eligible for compensation. Now, all the dead/missing milch animals will be considered for compensation instead of the earlier limit of a maximum of three large milch and draught animals per livestock farmer. Also, all the dead/missing small milch animals, instead of a maximum of six small milch animals per livestock farmer, are now eligible for assistance. All the dead/missing poultry birds, instead of a maximum of 100 poultry birds per livestock farmer, will be eligible for compensation among other relaxed conditions.Marathwada was among the worst hit regions in the state due to unprecedented floods that took a toll on livestock besides inflicting loss of human lives and properties. As per official data, over 2,800 cattle were killed across eight districts in Marathwada during the last rainy season.As per official norms, Rs 37,500 compensation is offered towards the death of each dairy animal, Rs 32,000 each for a draught animal, Rs 20,000 per small animal, Rs 4,000 per goat/sheep and Rs 100 per poultry bird.To claim the govt compensation, livestock or poultry owners need to produce registration with the National Digital Livestock Mission or livestock census or entry in the govt vaccination programme or entry with the insurance firm among other firms. The state govt also eased norms related to panchanamas especially considering livestock that was swept away in flood water.When contacted, regional officials from the Animal Husbandry and Dairy department said the relaxed norms will help affected farmers in a big way. "We will inform the farming community about the latest GR and help them in accessing the compensation," a senior official said.Farmers' leader Jayaji Suryawanshi said it is too late to ease rigid norms. "We are just a couple of months away from the next rainy season. While the natural tragedy largely struck in Sept, the govt has woken up from the slumber almost six months later," he said.