The Government today said it has released Rs 1,063.74 crore to Andhra Pradesh as relief to deal with the situation in the aftermath of natural calamities in the state last year.

“Government of India has released Rs 1,063.74 crore towards management of relief necessitated by natural calamities during 2010-11,” the Minister of State for Agriculture, Mr Arun Yadav, said replying to a calling attention motion in the Lok Sabha.

Besides the above relief assistance from State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), funds from centrally sponsored schemes under the Department of Agriculture and Cooperation have supplemented the requirement of assistance for the agriculture sector in Andhra Pradesh, he said.

Mr Yadav said the Centre supplements the efforts of state governments with financial and logistic support. He said instalments of the central share of the SDRF were released in advance pending receipt of utilisation certificate and annual report from the State Government.

Earlier, moving the motion, Mr L. Rajagopal (Cong) said unseasonal rains in November and December had a devastating impact across Andhra Pradesh.

He wanted the Government to increase the input subsidy from farm sector, cover damage to harvested crops under farm insurance schemes and allow export of rice which is surplus in the state.

Mr Rajagopal also wanted a special session of Parliament for a week to discuss only farmers’ issues. He also wanted that one day must be reserved in every session of Parliament for raising matters related to the agriculture sector.

Congress member Mr K.S. Rao wanted the Centre to consider allowing export of discoloured paddy after making parboiled rice from it. He said there was great demand for parboiled rice from countries like Bangladesh.

He wanted the Government to change the method of fixing minimum support price for various crops.

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