CM Yogi Slams Past Regime as ₹493 Cr Flood Aid Hits 9.18 Lakh Bank Accounts
Addressing a massive disaster relief distribution conclave in Gorakhpur on Monday, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath launched a blistering offensive against the Samajwadi Party, asserting that past regimes that embezzled agrarian relief funds incurred the wrath and curse of hardworking farmers, leading to their decisive rejection by the electorate. Emphasizing that democracy delivers retribution whenever vulnerable growers are deprived of their rightful compensation by corrupt networks, the Chief Minister contrasted past governance failures with his administration's transparent governance model. Highlighting the state's swift mobilization following recent unseasonal cyclones and deluge, Adityanath announced that administrative teams surveyed flood-devastated tracts within eight to ten days and successfully credited ₹493 crore directly into the bank accounts of 9,18,091 verified farmers through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), eliminating leakages and bypassing middlemen.
Hudhud Scams vs Direct Benefit Transfers: Exposing Pre-2017 '₹2 and ₹15' Cheques
Drawing a stark historical comparison, the Chief Minister recalled the devastation of the 2014 Hudhud cyclone, alleging that while the central government had sanctioned ₹3,200 crore for relief at the time, barely ₹800 crore reached distressed cultivators under the Samajwadi Party dispensation, while the remainder was siphoned off through institutional graft. He pointed out that affected farmers were routinely humiliated during the previous regime with compensation cheques worth mere two, four, or fifteen rupees, whereas the present double-engine administration utilizes satellite-backed digital crop surveys and Aadhaar-linked DBT gateways to remit substantial financial cushions straight to beneficiaries. Adityanath noted that total disaster compensation extended during the ongoing Kharif cycle is approaching nearly ₹1,000 crore, which includes earlier disbursements of ₹169 crore for hailstorm and storm destruction, ₹78.75 crore directly credited to 1,29,326 farmers, and ₹225.93 crore sanctioned for loss of human lives, livestock fatalities, and damaged housing structures. He reiterated that this proactive posture builds on transformative agrarian milestones achieved since 2017, including the historic ₹36,000-crore farm loan waiver benefiting 86 lakh small and marginal cultivators, free electricity supply to 16 lakh private tube wells, and the expansion of state irrigation networks across 22 lakh additional hectares.
Swift Calamity Protocols: ₹4 Lakh Ex-Gratia, ₹5 Lakh Accident Cover, and Kharif Procurement from Oct 15
Outlining stringent administrative directives for ongoing rehabilitation, the Chief Minister instructed state departments—including Irrigation, PWD, Urban Development, and Local Housing Authorities—to deploy dedicated emergency funds to reconstruct damaged road corridors, drain stagnant water from agricultural acreage, and fortify river embankments under MNREGA. He mandated that district magistrates disburse ₹4 lakh in financial assistance to bereaved families within 24 hours of any calamity-related loss of life, alongside an independent grant of ₹1.20 lakh under the Mukhyamantri Awas Yojana for completely destroyed residential dwellings, separate from agricultural crop indemnities. Furthermore, to combat fatal lightning strikes and monsoon accidents, Adityanath underscored the statewide rollout of early weather warning SMS alerts and confirmed that registered cultivators and sharecroppers are insured for ₹5 lakh within 24 hours under the Mukhyamantri Krishak Durghatna Kalyan Yojana. Addressing harvest procurement, the Chief Minister announced that official state procurement counters for paddy, sorghum, bajra, and maize will formally commence operations on October 15 across rain-delayed districts, assuring farmers that procurement quotas have been lifted and crop proceeds will be transferred directly to their accounts without trade delays.
