Surprise rain comes as a rude jolt for Raj farmers

JAIPUR: Unexpected rainfall on Tuesday came as a rude jolt for the farmers in the state for the third time this season.
Several places across the state received torrential to moderate rainfall even as hailstorm in some areas just made things worse for the farmers.
In Tonk district, Vanasthali received 100 mm of rainfall, most in the state.
Jaipur Met office has issued a forecast of heavy to very heavy rainfall at several places in the state in the next couple of days.
Tuesday's rainfall was coupled with lightening, which claimed the life of a youth in Kumher village of Bharatpur district. “The youth is yet to be identified.His medical examination has confirmed that he died of electrocution,“ TOI was informed.
Rain woes for the farmers are on since February, the month that saw heavy rainfall, hitting crops badly. This spell continued till the first week of April. The farmers affected the worst in this rain bout were from Kota, Jhalawar, Baran and Bundi, with some of them going to the extent of ending their lives.
“After this, the farmers were expecting a good monsoon season. But that too did not pan out well, with several places getting very heavy rainfall while some remaining nearly parched. Now, Tuesday's unexpected rainfall is a big worry for them,“ said Sitaram Gurjar, a farmer from Gangapur City village in Karauli district.
Post Diwali, farmers had sown crops including wheat, sown crops including wheat, maize, barley and mustard, and were satisfied with the apt moisture. These crops are harvested in the month of Febru ary and March.
On Tuesday , rainfall was witnessed in several areas of Jaipur, Sikar, Jhunjhunu, Tonk, Ajmer, Bhilwara, Kota, Udaipur, Pratapgarh, Dungarpur, Banswara, among other districts of the state.
Vanasthali, which received the state's max rainfall of 100 mm on Tuesday was followed by Nainwa (Bundi) and Arai (Ajmer) 90 mm each; Bhinay (Ajmer), Jahazpur (Bhilwara) and Geola (Ajmer) 70 mm each; Bonli (Sawai Madhopur), Patan (Bundi) and Pipalda (Kota) 60 mm each; Gangapur (Sawai Madhopur), Niwai (Tonk), Sapotara (Karauli), Nawalgarh (Jhunjhunu) and Pilani (Jhunjhunu) 50 mm each; Chomu (Jaipur) and Deoli (Tonk) 40 mm each, among others with lesser rainfall.
Prices of non-subsidized cylinder hiked:
Prices of 14.2 kg cylinder (non-subsidized ) have been increased form Rs 533 to Rs 595. While price for 19 kg non-domestic (commercial) cylinder increased from Rs 1106.50 to 1214.
The rates would be effective from December 1.