Congress President Sonia Gandhi today took up the cause of farmers of Uttar Pradesh who have been hit by the recent unseasonal rains, saying a fresh survey needs to be done to assess the losses and compensation be paid accordingly.

Gandhi wrote a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, saying that during her recent visit to Rae Bareli she had seen for herself the extent of damage to the crops in the area and the crisis it posed to the affected farmers.

The district administration has made assessment of damage to just 10 to 15 per cent of the crops, she wrote and said a fresh survey is needed to ensure adequate compensation to the farmers. She noted that as per rules only those farmers whose 50 per cent crops are hit get compensation.