After a Rs 25k loss, govt promises farmer relief of Rs 1k

Bhim (Rajsamand): Bhanu Singh, a small farmer aged 60 years who owns three bighas of land, suffered with hypertension and was admitted in a city hospital for four days in the second week of March after his entire crop was damaged in the erratic rain and hailstorm.
Singh, a resident of Lekha-Guda village, 20 kms away from Bhim, had invested Rs 10,000 on his land and expected a turnout of Rs 25,000 with the sale of his wheat crop but now he is likely to receive a compensation of Rs 1,000 in the coming weeks for the damage he has suffered.The news instead of bringing happiness has further increased his blood pressure.
Singh is one of those thousand victims of the government's apathy who have failed to receive any appropriate help. Wearing footwear torn and stitched at many places, he walked 5 kms to attend the Mazdoor Kisan Shakti Sangathan's (MKSS) 25th anniversary event in Bhim with the hope that somebody will hear him patiently.
Every year his land yielded two crops, Rabi and Kharif, which accounts for about 90% of his annual income. He got a 3 bighas share after a larger piece of land was equally divided between his brothers and it is enough to only put food on the table twice everyday.
Unable to stand properly due to weakness, Singh mustered strength since he was not leaving this opportunity to narrate his plight to the mediapersons who were covering the MKSS 25th anniversary event. Talking to TOI, he took out two chapatis, one onion and some pickle wrapped in a piece of cloth from inside his jute bag for lunch.
"Nobody came to us at our dhani. Even Patwari didn't turn up for assessment of the damage to my crop. I got to know from my sarpanch that I may get a cheque of Rs 1,000 for my damaged crop. Is it a joke?" asked Singh, who has decided not to take any monetary help from the government. His biggest worry is to arrange funds for his Kharif crops post monsoon. Sensing his long pauses while talking to the media, his co-villager requested him to get seated.
Living in a two-room kuchcha house with thatched surface, Singh has two sons — one studying in class XI and the other is working as a construction labourer. Singh has already asked his younger son to look for some menial job.
"Living without any basic facilities, Singh is worried how to clear his debt of Rs 10,000 that he took from the local moneylender on 10% interest," says another villager, whom he (Singh) requested for help.