To provide relief to the farmers and laborers of the cotton belt, the Punjab Government has announced to release the grant of over Rs. 416 crore to compensate for the damage of crops due to pink ballworm attack.
The announcement was made by Revenue and Rehabilitation Minister Aruna Chaudhary and Agriculture Minister Randeep Singh Nabha in a joint press conference here at Punjab Bhawan. Both the Cabinet Ministers said that the pink ballworm had caused severe damage to cotton crops in Mansa, Sangrur, Bathinda, Sri Muktsar Sahib and Barnala districts and to compensate these farmers their government is releasing this amount of Rs 416 crore. They said that 10 percent of the amount would be provided to the cotton picking workers as relief and the compensation amount will be sent in the accounts of Deputy Commissioners before Diwali and the district administration will directly transfer the aid in the bank accounts of farmers.
The two ministers said that the Punjab Government is standing firmly with the farmers and every step would be taken for their welfare.
Giving details of the distribution of compensation, the Ministers said that this time around 7 lakh 51 thousand acres of cotton was sown in the cotton belt and out of this around four lakh acres had been damaged by the pink ballworm. Compensation was being paid at the rate of Rs. 2,000 per acre for 26 to 32 percent loss, Rs. 5400 per acre for 33 to 75 percent loss and Rs.12,000 per acre for 76 to 100 percent loss which is the highest ever amount. Earlier, farmers were being paid Rs 8,000 per acre and pickers 5 percent of the amount for crop failure.
According to the Cabinet Ministers, 151335 acre crop in Mansa district has been damaged from 76 to 100 percent an amount of Rs.181,60,21,050 is being released for this district. Similarly, in Sangrur 145 acres suffered loss from 26 to 32 per cent, 3693 acres 33 to 75 per cent and 180 acres 76 to 100 per cent loss and provision of Rs. 224,01,328 has been made for this. He said that in Bathinda district, 683 acres have suffered loss from 26 to 32 percent, 85 acres 33 to 75 percent and 188308 acres 76 to 100 percent loss for which compensation of Rs. 226,15,23,700 is being paid for Bathinda. In Sri Muktsar Sahib district, 1906 acres crop have been damaged by 26 to 32 per cent, 7922 acres by 33 to 75 per cent and 50 acres by 76 to 100 per cent for which an amount of Rs. 4,71,90,800 is being released. PNS
Similarly, in Barnala district, 143 acres of cotton was damaged by 26 to 32 per cent, 2639 acres by 33 to 75 per cent and 11 acres by 76 to 100 per cent and relief of Rs. 1,46,70,950 has been provided to Barnala farmers. The ministers also said that out of this amount, 10 per cent relief would be provided to cotton picking workers.
Replying to a query regarding the damage caused to crops by the recent rains and hailstorms, Chaudhary said that girdawari orders have been issued in this regard and as soon as the reports will be received from the Deputy Commissioners, steps will be taken for compensation. The Deputy Commissioners had been directed to send crop damage reports within a week.
In reply to a question, Nabha said that state-of-the-art technology was being introduced by the government to prevent such losses. Expressing his commitment to the farmers, he said that appointment letters have been issued to 157 members of the families of the farmers who lost lives during agitation against the agricultural laws which was a commitment of the Congress government for the welfare of the farmers.
Both the ministers said that on November 8, a special session has been invited for debate on the Agriculture laws and unjustified extension in the jurisdiction of the BSF.
On this occasion, among others Financial Commissioner Revenue V.K. Janjua, Financial Commissioner Agriculture D.K. Tiwari and Additional Secretary Revenue Capt. Karnail Singh were also present.
SAD TERMS IT MEAGER AND PARTIAL COMPENSATION
The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Saturday said the Congress government as well as chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi had cheated farmers by offering them meager and partial compensation despite the widespread complete destruction of their cotton crop due to pink bollworm attack across lakhs of acres in the Malwa region of the State. The SAD also condemned the Congress government for failing to announce a financial package for ‘khet mazdoor’ on the pattern of that announced by the previous Parkash Singh Badal government when farmers had suffered a loss due to whitefly attack.
In a statement here, SAD Kisan Wing President Sikandar Singh Maluka said despite a clear cut demand from the farming community for award of compensation at the rate of Rs 50,000 per acre, the Congress government had come out with a partial compensation policy. “It seems the government wants to cheat farmers further as it has kept a measly compensation of only Rs 2,000 for up to 35 per cent crop damage and Rs 5,400 for up to 75 per cent crop damage. Government sources are trying to limit all farmers in this bracket by stating that there was only partial damage to the cotton crop. This effectively means that even the meager compensation of Rs 12,000 per acre for 100 per cent crop damage will not be available to farmers. Cotton farmers have been backstabbed. The SAD will not tolerate this at any cost. We will team up with farmers and demand just and transparent compensation”.
