Farmers To Be Compensated For Crop Loss: CM Mann After Visiting Rain-Affected Areas

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann Sunday visited Moga, Muktsar, Bathinda and Patiala districts of the state where crops were damaged by hailstorms and rains and assured the farmers that they would be duly compensated for the loss.

If a farmer suffers more than 75 per cent crop loss the state government will provide a compensation of Rs 15,000 per acre. If the loss is between 33 and 75 per cent, the compensation would be Rs 6,750 per acre, Mann said. 

Labourers will get 10 per cent as compensation while Rs 95,100 would be paid as indemnity for damage to houses because of inclement weather, he said.

Untimely rain accompanied by hail and high-velocity winds damaged wheat and other crops in several parts of Punjab.

The chief minister announced that the state government would soon introduce a crop insurance scheme to safeguard the interest of farmers from nature's fury.

He alleged that the crop insurance scheme announced by the Centre remained confined to papers. 

The Punjab government shall ever be committed to the welfare of the farmers and farm labourers, Mann said while asserting that he can very well understand the agony and pain of farmers who suffered heavy losses due to sudden and erratic changes in weather.

Initial reports indicate that several acres of the cultivated area have been affected at a stage when Rabi crops were almost ready for harvest, he said.

The chief minister said he has directed the financial commissioner (revenue) to issue detailed instructions to the deputy commissioners concerned to immediately carry out a crop loss assessment to ascertain the damage.

-With PTI Input