BANGALORE, October 24: To provide input subsidy to arecanut growers, the State government has released Rs. 45.70 crore to four districts under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF).
A government order issued on October 11 directed deputy commissioners to provide input subsidy to arecanut growers who had suffered loss on account of heavy downpour and diseases.
The estimated loss of arecanut due to fruit-rot disease (kole roga) had been put at Rs. 789 crore. Heavy rainfall since the beginning of the monsoon in four districts of Malnad and coastal Karnataka had dealt a serious blow to arecanut growers who lost crop on account of the disease.
A sum of Rs. 12 crore had been released to Shimoga, Rs. 3 crore to Udupi, Rs. 16.50 crore to Dakshina Kannada, and Rs. 14.20 crore to Chikmagalur, the order said.
Deputy Commissioners have been told to follow the guidelines of the Central government while disbursing the amount to growers.
Compensation norms have been revised upwards for small and marginal farmers who had lost crops due to floods in various districts.
The amount had been increased from Rs. 3,000 to Rs. 4,500 per hectare for agriculture, horticulture, and annual plantation crops in rain-fed areas. However, it was restricted to sown areas.
In irrigated areas, the amount increased from Rs. 6,000 to Rs. 9,000 per hectare, subject to minimum assistance not less than Rs. 7,500 and restricted to sown areas.
For perennial crops, compensation had been increased from Rs. 8,000 to Rs. 12,000 per hectare, subject to minimum assistance not less than Rs. 1,500 and restricted to sown areas.
