The issue of huge loss of human lives, properties and wide spread crop damages rocked the state assembly.
Photo: SNS
As many as 193 people have died so far while 36 were injured in the heavy rain or flood caused incidents this monsoon in Rajasthan, Agriculture Minister Dr Kirodi Lal Meena informed the state assembly on Thursday.
The issue of huge loss of human lives, properties and wide spread crop damages rocked the state assembly. Despite a detailed statement by Minister Meena, the dissatisfied opposition members trooped in the well, forcing Speaker Vasudev Devnani to carry out the day’s agenda amid din without discussion and adjourn the house till Monday.
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Meena made statement in the House during the Zero Hour, taking suo motu cognisance on the call attention motion by LoP Tika Ram Jully, Amit Chachan and Narendra Budania (Congress) on losses and damages caused by monsoon.
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He said, “The Opposition’s concern on the calamity caused by heavy downpour – floods is genuine, it indeed proved to be an unprecedented monsoon this year that caused abnormal rains in 22 districts, excessive rains in 16 others and normal downpour in three districts – Barmer, Dungarpur and Salumber.”
Quoting the SDRF survey, the Minister said “Besides worrisome loss of 193 human lives, 1974 Pucca Houses, 752 Thatched Houses and 190 huts were also damaged. As many as 626 cattle-heads or domesticated animals died in the floods”.
Compensation of Rs 104 lakh have so far been disbursed to families of 26 flood victims (deceased) and Rs 2.53 lakh were paid to 8 cattle keepers.
For losses to crops, Meena said that a girdawari (survey) had already ordered, the work has continued since August 1, 2025.
”The disbursement of relief / compensation is just the beginning, we would compensate each and every person who has suffered the loss or damage, judiciously proportionate to loss/damage suffered, as per the SDRF norms. No body would be dropped or excluded ,” he assured.
However, the Opposition members were not satisfied with the quantum of relief, LoP Jully, Congress members Ashok Chandana, Shanti Kumar Dhariwal and Hari Mohan Sharma tried to interrupt the Minister saying this is nothing, this is like ‘Oont Ke Muh Mein Zeera'(a drop in the Ocean).”
The Opposition members were unhappy and demanded adequate special package for farmers and other victims.
The Minister reassured “Nobody would be excluded, however, the payment would be as per the SDRF norms, the norms can neither be changed by me nor even the state government.”
Agitated over the statement, members from opposition asserted that the BJP led Centre could change the norms. Meena replied, “This had already been relaxed under Narendra Modi regimes from (earlier) norm of 50 per cent crop damage to 33 per cent damage”.
A war of words erupted between the opposition and treasury benches, leading to a pandemonium in the House. Two Ministers Jora Ram Patel and Avinash Gehlot and many ruling BJP members took potshots at the previous Congress regimes and LoP Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi. Congress member Chandana was seen involved in heated exchange with Speaker Devnani.
The Speaker tried to restore normalcy in the House, but to no avail. This Chair adjourned the House for lunch early.
On reassembling, the Opposition remained unrelenting on the demand of special package for flood victims and the suffering farmers for crop damage. They trooped into the well raising slogans.
Speaker Devnani was forced to discharge business amid the din. Accordingly, all legislative business, including passage of three Bills, took place without due debate within half an hour.
After legislating on business of the day, the Speaker adjourned the House till Monday.
Earlier, the Opposition Congress came to assembly premises with a firm resolve to raise the issue of havoc wrecked by rain floods in the state. They brought the samples of rain – damaged crops of Moong, Soyabean, Millets (Bajra) to display at the demonstration that they held at the Western Gate of the assembly building. LoP Jully came to attend the House, riding a damaged crop ladden tractor.
The Opposition held demonstration at the Western Gate of the assembly waving the bunches of damaged crops and raising slogans, demanding special relief package for victim farmers.
They wanted to take along the samples of damaged crops in the House, but were not allowed by the security personnel.
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