MUMBAI, Oct. 20 -- Rebuilding their lives after the devastation wrought by the recent floods in Marathwada is proving more painful than the farmers had imagined. After losing their homes, standing crops and cattle, and left with fields rendered infertile by waterlogging, farmers say the government, their only source of relief, is offering compensation with too many strings attached. Mincing no words is farmer leader Raju Shetti, president of the Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana, "The compensation package is a sham," he alleged. Although the state had announced a seemingly robust compensation package of Rs.31,628 crore a week ago, the eligibility criteria are so stringent that it exposes the government's hollow intentions, farmers claim. Moreover, farmers say they feel betrayed by what they see as an attempt to pass off routine spending as compensation. Besides the Rs.31,628-crore relief package announced last week, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis had announced a Rs.10,000 increase in ex-gratia. This will be given over and above the ex-gratia under the National Disaster Relief Fund (NDRF), which ranges between Rs.8,500 and Rs.22,500 a hectare, depending on the type of land and crop affected. Fadnavis also announced cash assistance for submerged households, hawkers and small traders, as well as compensation for the loss of cattle. In addition, he said, farmers would receive Rs.30,000 for wells damaged in the floods; Rs.3.47 lakh per acre for fields whose topsoil had been washed away. Of the Rs.3.47 lakh, Rs.3 lakh would come in the form of restoration work under the National Employment Guarantee scheme. More than 3 million farmers sustained crop losses on 6.5 million hectares across the state. The government, until Thursday, had released just Rs.1,800 crore in relief, leaving the majority of affected farmers high and dry. Farmers say that the 3-hectare cap on land holdings (under NDRF), to qualify for compensation, has automatically eliminated a large number of affected farmers. In addition, funds for the restoration of eroded fields have been allotted under the National Employment Guarantee Scheme (EGS). How is that compensation, they ask. Raju Shetti said the government should follow compensation criteria during the 2019 floods in Kolhapur and Sangli. "The current package is a sham, none of it translates on ground. Farmers are being given Rs.8,500 a hectare, instead of Rs.18,500 as announced," he said . He said the government has announced Rs.3 lakh per acre for fields whose topsoil has been destroyed by the floods. "The funds are to come from the EGS, but it doesn't seem likely that the money will be disbursed effectively as the labour bills of the EGS have been pending for a year. Moreover, under EGS, money will be disbursed only to farmers who have job cards under the scheme, which greatly limits the number of farmers who can benefit," he added. Farm activist Vijay Jawandhia holds the same view in the matter. "After you take the stringent criteria and other conditions into account and do the math, the farmers will receive about Rs.10,000 crore from the total compensation package," he says. "While announcing the relief package, the government did not provide a break-up. It includes Rs.10,000 crore towards infrastructure development, Rs.7,000 crore against crop insurance payout and Rs.3.5 lakh an acre for soil-eroded lands. This expenditure was budgeted for and was to be spent anyway. How can it be included in the package," he questioned. Jawandia said Fadnavis claims the government is extending all the benefits given to farmers during drought, but nothing is visible on ground. "During drought, loan repayment is deferred, existing loans are restructured, and fresh loans are immediately disbursed. But, here, the farmers are getting little or nothing," he said. Vinita Vaid Singhal, principal secretary, relief and rehabilitation, said the government has completed its assessment of losses. "About 30 lakh farmers have suffered crop losses on over 65 lakh hectares and we have started releasing funds. There will be a revision in assessment claims for farmers who suffered losses again in September and October after getting the ex-gratia for losses in August. They will also get the difference between the old norms and revised norms. We are paying an additional Rs.10,000 over and above NDRF norms for ex-gratia with the compensation being paid to the farmers." Bharat Bastewad, commissioner, National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, said the criteria for relief will not be amended. "Farmers with land holding of up to 2 hectares (under EGS) will be eligible for restoration benefits due to soil erosion, and they will need to produce job cards required under the Employment Guarantee Scheme. The scheme is not meant for farmers with sizable holdings."...