When Sushil Kumar heard that the government was about to offer drought-hit farmers compensation in the form of monetary relief, his hopes rose. Production may have been poor, but all was not lost. With the compensation amount he would get, Kumar thought he would buy better seeds to sow for the next cropping season. And if there was still any extra left, he may even consider buying a thresher.

That was before the Lekhpal of Kumars Tendwari village came knocking at his door. The crisp yellow leaf bearing Kumar's name promised him drought compensation worth Rs 30. For a failed crop and the loss of several thousand rupees that was to be Kumar's government dole.

"The Lekhpal told me we would have to open a bank account worth Rs 500 for depositing a cheque for Rs 30. He told me to go to the Block Development Officer for clarification, if I had doubts. I spent petrol worth over Rs 100 to visit the officer, but his response was the same. Take it or leave it. I took the cheque, but didn't bother to encash it," Kumar, 45, said.
Kumar wasn't the only beneficiary. Through UP's worst affected drought years 2002 and 2004 other farmers received even lesser drought compensation. In Banda's Madhopur village, Babu walked away with a drought relief cheque worth Rs 10.

"We didn't have the money to open an account. We decided we are better off without such a magnanimous dole," Badri, another beneficiary from the village, said. A large number of these farmers have kept such cheques as souvenirs.

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Courtesy: Timesofindia.indiatimes.com

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