Chandigarh: Punjab Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister S. Hardeep Singh Mundian today informed that Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann-led Punjab Government has sanctioned a major relief package of over Rs.123.28 crore for farmers whose crops were damaged by the hailstorm that struck parts of Punjab last month.
He said the state government moved with urgency immediately after field assessments were completed by district administrations so that affected cultivators could receive timely compensation and recover from the unexpected losses suffered during the harvesting season.
The Revenue Minister informed that total relief package of worth Rs.123,28,05,938 has been approved for crop damage spread over 92,695 acres in 111 villages across seven districts, including 992 acres with 26% to 32% damage, 61,115 acres with 33% to 75% damage and 30,588 acres with 76% to 100% damage.
“Our government stand shoulder to shoulder with the farming community in times of distress and ensure that financial hardship caused by natural calamities is reduced through immediate intervention”
The Cabinet Minister informed that among the affected districts, Fazilka received the highest relief of more than Rs.44.24 crore, followed by Sri Muktsar Sahib with over Rs.43.01 crore, Bathinda with around Rs.22.83 crore, Moga with Rs.7.73 crore and Amritsar with over Rs.5.26 crore while compensation of around Rs.17.10 lakh and Rs.1.35 lakh was also sanctioned for farmers in Ferozepur and Rupnagar districts, respectively.
The Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister said the relief has been calculated on the basis of crop loss severity, covering land where damage ranged from 26 per cent to complete loss, thereby ensuring a fair and transparent compensation mechanism for every affected farmer.
S. Hardeep Singh Mundian further said that the Revenue Department has already instructed deputy commissioners to expedite all remaining formalities so that the sanctioned amount can be transferred to beneficiaries without unnecessary delay. He reiterated that Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann led government is fully committed to safeguarding the interests of farmers and providing immediate support whenever natural disasters threaten rural livelihoods.
