New Delhi, August 7
The government today said a diesel subsidy for irrigation would be given to states where rainfall shortage was more than 50 per cent to protect the standing kharif crops.

Though the overall rainfall deficit has improved to 18 per cent, several parts of the country, including Punjab and Haryana, continue to record high rainfall deficit.

The government also raised the subsidy ceiling to buy seeds to compensate farmers for re-sowing and allocated special package of Rs 35,000 per hectare for rejuvenation of horticultural crops in drought-hit areas.

Announcing these measures in Parliament, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said: “No state has declared drought yet, but there were reports of rainfall deficit in many areas. A day before yesterday, a decision was taken to provide diesel subsidy to farmers,” he said.

He said a directive had been issued to state governments that diesel subsidy be given to farmers for irrigation in areas where rainfall deficit was over 50 per cent. The burden of subsidy would be equally borne by the Centre and state governments.

The states where the rainfall shortage is more than 50 per cent include Punjab (59 per cent), Haryana, Delhi and Chandigarh (54 per cent), Jammu and Kashmir (50 per cent) in northwest and Marathwada (57 per cent) in central India. Rayalseema in south peninsula is facing a shortfall of 48 per cent.

The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has predicted rain and thundershowers at a few places over interior peninsular India, plains of northwest India and central India over the next week.

During the drought years in 2009 and 2012, the previous UPA government had announced a 50 per cent diesel subsidy for farmers in the rainfall deficit areas.

Noting that monsoon deficit has come down since June, the minister said the overall deficit stood at 18 per cent as on August 8 from 40 per cent in June.

Water level in reservoirs is 113 per cent of the past 10 years' average. As per the IMD, southwest monsoon may be below normal with the country likely to receive 93 per cent of the long-period average rainfall.

The government has also raised the subsidy ceiling to buy seeds to 50 per cent from the existing level to partially compensate farmers for re-sowing crops in drought-declared areas.

At present, the seed subsidy is given in the range of Rs 1,500 to Rs 5,000 per quintal under the National Food Security Mission depending on the varieties of seeds.

A special package of Rs 35,000 per hectare would also be given to farmers for rejuvenation of horticultural crops under the National Horticulture Mission in areas that are declared drought-hit by states, the minister said.

The Centre has also decided to give an additional allocation of Rs 100 crore for the Accelerated Fodder Development Programme in states where there is a possibility of fodder shortage, he said.

Noting that no state has declared drought so far, the minister said: “The state governments can declare drought and floods if it feels so and make use of the funds available under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).” 

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