CM Mann Promises Compensation for Crop Loss; Launches Crop Insurance Scheme

CM Mann stated that he can very well understand the anguish and pain of farmers who suffered heavy losses due to unexpected and erratic changes in weather and that the Punjab government will be committed to the welfare of the farmers and farm labourers.

On Sunday, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann visited the Moga, Bathinda, Muktsar, and Patiala districts of the state where crops were damaged by hailstorms and rainfall, and gave assurance to the farmers that they would be duly compensated for the loss. If a farmer suffers more than 75 percent crop loss the state government will provide a compensation of Rs 15,000 per acre. If the loss is between 33 and 75 percent, the compensation would be Rs 6,750 per acre, he said.

He said that labourers will get 10 percent as compensation while Rs 95,100 would be paid as indemnity for damage to houses because of the rough weather. Untimely rain accompanied by hailstorms and high-velocity winds damaged wheat and other crops in various parts of Punjab.

Also, CM Mann announced that the state government would soon launch 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 will be committed to the welfare of the farmers and farm labourers, CM Mann said while stating that he can very well understand the anguish and pain of farmers who suffered heavy losses due to unexpected and erratic changes in weather.

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

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