Cabinet meets to discuss agrarian crisis due to hailstorm

The Union Cabinet met on Wednesday to discuss the agrarian crisis in the country due to unseasonal rains and hailstorm ahead of Parliament session. The Cabinet is likely to announce relief measures for farmers facing huge crop damage.

The government is unlikely to take up the Land Acquisition Amendment Bill in the Budget session as it has five more months to pass the ordinance. The Bill is likely to be tabled in Monsoon session.

The meet came after Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi reached out to grief-stricken farmers in different states. After meeting farmers in Punjab, Rahul will reach Nagpur in the evening and will embark on a 175-km long padyatra from Thursday morning.

Rahul has made it clear that he will lead the Congress's fight against the Land Bill. He said he will continue his fight to protect the interests of farmers and accused the Modi government of aiming to snatch agricultural land for corporate houses.

Rahul single-handedly took on the Narendra Modi government on the Land Bill after his return from nearly a two-month long sabbatical to a mysterious place. He first addressed the Kisan rally and then raised the issue in the Lok Sabha.

Taking no chances, the Punjab government has now announced Rs 4,000 crore package for affected farmers.

The government still has the daunting task of passing the controversial Land Bill in Parliament. The government will face a tough task to get the Bill passed in Rajya Sabha as it does not have the required number.

The BJP has, however, criticised his trip as 'distress tourism'.