Hail-hit farmers to get extra aid equal to disaster relief, payment of October-December electricity bills deferred; crops on about 7,730 hectares affected in Udham Singh Nagar

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Wednesday announced additional relief for farmers hit by hailstorms. According to Amar Ujala and Hindustan, the state government will give an extra amount equal to the aid due under disaster relief norms for losses to agricultural, horticultural and sugarcane crops. Payment of affected farmers' electricity bills for October, November and December will be deferred; this is not a waiver, and when the deferred bills will have to be paid has not been announced yet. A letter will be sent to the Union Finance Ministry seeking a three-month deferment of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loan repayments. In Kashipur, the Chief Minister said heavy hail on October 9 in the Bajpur, Gadarpur and Kashipur areas ruined sugarcane, paddy and guava crops. According to ETV Bharat, the agriculture department's report records paddy and sugarcane on about 7,730 hectares affected in Bajpur and Gadarpur. The Bharatiya Kisan Union, in a sit-in at Gadarpur tehsil, and the Congress have both demanded compensation of ₹50,000 per acre. (Source: Amar Ujala, Dainik Jagran, Hindustan, ETV Bharat)