New Delhi, Oct. 14 -- Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami has directed officials to provide hailstorm-affected farmers with additional financial assistance equal to the relief available under existing disaster norms. The state has also deferred payment of electricity bills for October, November and December for affected farmers and will ask the Centre to defer Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loan repayments for three months.

The measures are intended to ease financial pressure following damage to agricultural, horticultural and sugarcane crops. According to the state government, the additional assistance will be provided over and above the amount prescribed under disaster relief standards.

Under the decision, farmers affected by hail...