Delhi farmers seek relief package from Centre

With monsoons playing spoilsport this year, thousands of farmers in the city are being affected.

An NGO working for development issues in the outer area of Delhi has asked chief minister Sheila Dikshit to send a proposal to the Centre for a relief package.

“In outer Delhi areas, there is at least 45,000 acres of agricultural land spread across six-seven districts. There are some small farmers who have land of 2 to 6 acres. Majority of them were waiting for the rain to start sowing wheat, cattle food like bajra and jwahar,” said Anand Rana, NGO president, Unity for Development.

He said, “Those who sowed these crops using tubewells for irrigation, their crop has been spoiled in absence of rain.”

Narela, Bawana, Najafgarh, Kanjhawala and Mundka have around 150 villages where farming is the primary occupation.

“For farmers who used tubewell irrigation method have spend at least Rs 5,000-6,000 minimum of an acre of land. That money will not come back. Farmers who are still waiting for rain will lose out on a profit of at least Rs 10,000-15,000 from the crops,” said a farmer from Najafgarh.

The farmers are also concerned about their cattle as the crops which are fed to them have also been spoiled, citing extra spending.

“During this season the farmers also grow different kinds of pulses and wheat.  In Uttar Pradesh, Rajasthan and  Karnataka, the state governments have asked the Central government for relief package. Somehow, Delhi is never looked as a farming oriented state, thus these farmers are being ignored. The state government should do something to help these farmers,” added Rana.

The NGO which has sent a letter to the CM will wait for another 15 to 20 days for the response. “We will start a signature campaign with the help of farmers and send it to agriculture minister if there is no response from our state government,” he said.