The Union Minister assured the farmers of all help from the Centre and State governments and added that they would compensate immediately.

Union Ministers M. Venkaiah Naidu, Bandaru Dattatreya and Mohanbhai Kundriya began tour of rain-hit districts of Nalgonda, Karimnagar and Nizamabad on Wednesday to assess the damage caused to standing crops.

Mr. Naidu accompanied by Minister of State for Agriculture Kundriya interacted with farmers at Revanapally village, Vattupally, Anajpur, Jampally in Pochamapally and Bibinagar mandal in Nalgonda District.

Mr. Naidu also visited mango orchards of farmers P. Indra Reddy and Boyapally Lakshma Reddy, who suffered extensive loss due to the untimely rains that battered major parts of Telangana in the last four days. The Union Minister also visited the Ramannapet market yard

The Union Minister assured the farmers of all help from the Centre and State governments and added that they would compensate immediately to all those who have suffered crop loss due to recent rains. Speaking to reporters after visiting the damaged paddy field at Shivareddygudem village of Pochampally mandal, he said that Narendra Modi had taken some key decisions for the welfare of farming fraternity like increasing the compensation.

He also announced that the Union Government would extend all support to State Government to cleanse river Musi and also to bring more area under cultivation. BJP State President G.Kishan Reddy and Bhongir MP Bura Narasaiah Goud accompanied the Union Ministers.

Mr. Bandaru Dattatreya visits Karimnagar

In a related development, Mr. Dattatreya arrived at Karimnagar to inspect the damaged crops in the district. Before proceeding to see for himself the devastation caused by heavy rain in Medipally, Korutla and Jagtial mandals, the Union Minister reviewed the situation with the Collector Neetu Kumar Prasad.

Talking to reporters, he said that Centre had enhanced compensation for the farmers suffering huge loss on account of untimely rains and floods. He said that earlier, crops damaged to the extent of 50 per cent alone were eligible for compensation. But, now the same has been relaxed and crop that is found to be damaged to the extent of 33 per cent too would get compensation.

He said that in all 1 lakh hectares of standing crops were damaged in the rains that lashed several districts of Telangana for three days. In Karimnagar District alone 20,000 hectares was damaged, he pointed out. The BJP MLA Chintala Ramachandra Reddy accompanied Mr. Dattatreya.