Delhi Government Announces ₹55 crore Relief Package For Farmers

The Delhi government announced a compensation plan of Rs. 55.35 crore for farmers who faced losses as a result of unseasonal rainfall in October last year, which destroyed crops cultivated on more than 30,000 acres. 

On Monday, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal handed over compensation cheques to 11 farmers, claiming that Delhi's farmers were receiving the most help of any state in the country. 

Heavy unseasonal rains have damaged growing rabi crops, causing a setback for producers bracing for a busy farming season amid a coronavirus disease outbreak and a lockdown that has already hampered field labor availability and transportation of their output in regions of India. Moisture worsened wheat and maize crops with severe damage to cotton crops. 

 "If crops have incurred less than 70% damage, we will give 70% compensation; if crops have incurred more than 70% damage, we will pay 100% compensation," CM Kejriwal said. 

He also stated that government will compensate mustard farmers for losses sustained this month. Officers have been ordered to undertake surveys so that farmers may be paid for losses caused by unseasonal rainfall as quickly as possible, he added. 

Kejriwal said that India's success is related to the progress of farmers, and he noted that before the Aam Aadmi Party came to power, Delhi's Chief Ministers were unaware of agriculture in the city. "Unlike all the other states, who have the audacity to offer farmers Rs 10-20 in compensation, the Delhi government is giving a very respectable amount." "A lot of these checks are for more than 2 lakh- 3 lakh," CM said. 

In his address to farmers, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal stated that the cotton crop in Punjab was destroyed in October 2021, but the government and authorities there declared a small compensation of ₹12,000 for each farmer knowing that the input costs were significantly greater.