(Representative image)

BENGALURU: Against the backdrop of a farmer in Kidaduru village of Kushatgi taluk in Koppal district receiving Re 1 as compensation for losses sustained owing to drought, the state government on Friday sought a report from the authorities concerned about the lapse.

Law minister TB Jayachandra told the legislative assembly that the facts of the case would be presented on Monday (June 11). “I am shocked that paltry sums are being remitted into the accounts of farmers as crop compensation,“ he said.

Leader of the opposition in the assembly Jagadish Shettar dubbed the compensation an “insult“ to the farming community. “The government should be ashamed. If you want to give compensation, do so properly. What can a farmer do with one rupee?“ Shettar asked.

Sources attributed it to lapses in linking Aadhaar numbers to the bank accounts of farmers. An official explained: “Some 87,500 farmers in the district are eligible for crop compensation. Of these, 84,000 had their Aadhaar numbers linked to the bank accounts and they received compensation. Of the remaining 3,500 farmers, we made a token deposit of Re 1 in their accounts to ascertain their credentials.“

On Thursday, Basavaraj Hosamani was shocked when he saw that the revenue department had credited Rs 1 as compensation for the losses he had suffered owing to drought last year. The compensation amount fixed by the government was Rs 10,800. “After my neighbours told me that they had received the compensation, I went to my private bank to check my balance, and was shocked,“ said Hosamani, adding that he had filed a request with the tahsildar to get his due.

Kushatgi tahsildar Gangappa said that the right compensation amount would be credited to the farmer's bank account in two to three days. “It's a technical problem, and we've brought it to the notice of the district consultant,“ Gangappa said.

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