Haryana CM Announces Rs 15.5 Crore Compensation for Flooded Farmlands

According to Wednesday's statement by Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar, "an amount of Rs 15.5 crore has been paid to the farmers who are unable to sow crops due to water logging." Khattar was speaking at a Wednesday Call to Attention motion addressing agricultural damage compensation.

Regarding the opposition's allegations of irregularities and the lack of payment to many impacted farmers, Khattar responded, "We shall investigate if there was any delay in the payment to farmers. The guilty will face strict punishment. There won't be any injustice towards the farmers. Khattar continued, "This money has been given for a flooded area of around 23,000 acres," in further explanation of his response.

The administration has decided to give precedence to farmers using micro-irrigation when giving tube well connections in order to solve the issue of the water crisis in Haryana and guarantee the best possible use of the water that is already available, Khattar said earlier during the Question Hour. Open tubewell connections cannot be offered to everyone due to the declining water levels in most places.

4412 tubewell connections out of the total connections requested for the year 2018 are still waiting; they will soon be granted. Demand notes will be given to all applicants who meet the requirements to receive tubewell connections in the years 2023–2024. As three factors—nature, water availability, and financial allocation—are taken into account when awarding tubewell connections, it is not practical to put the process under the Right to Services Act, Khattar stated.

"In places where the water levels are continuously dropping, tubewell connections cannot be made. Only farms that utilize micro-irrigation will be provided connections. Only solar connections up to 10 HP will be provided; connections over 50 HP will not be provided. The government provides a subsidy of Rs 1 lakh for each tube well connection. Currently, 6 lakh tube wells in the state are operating without interruption, and the government is providing farmers with subsidies of roughly Rs 6,000 crore, Khattar added.

Responding in response to a different query regarding incorrect questions presented in the Veterinary Surgeons Exam, Khattar stated, "HPSC cannot be held liable for this issue as the person or entity that develops the question paper is an outsider. Also, the Punjab and Haryana High Court is currently hearing this case and will accept its ruling.”