The Punjab Government on Tuesday disbursed compensation worth Rs2.61 crore to the farmers having land across the border fence.
“Hundreds of farmers, having land around 21,000 acres across the fence, have been benefited by this major initiative taken by the state government,” said Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
Terming the residents of Punjab’s border areas as ‘true patriots’, Badal said that the State Government was duty-bound to safeguard the interests of these “brave-hearts” at every cost.
He said that the state government has always taken care of border residents of the state adding that in a fresh effort through alliance government, it has decided to disburse compensation to farmers having land across the fence.
Badal said that he was well aware of the peculiar situation of these farmers due to which he had always raised this matter with the Central Government. “The alliance government had, in 1997-2002 regime, initiated the scheme of giving relief worth Rs 2,500 per acre to the farmers and now it has been enhanced to Rs 10,000 per acre,” said Badal while described it as humble tribute from the state government in recognition to the sufferings faced by the farmers of this region.
“However, the Congress Governments both in the state and Centre had never bothered about the interests of the farmers. Congress regime led by Capt Amarinder Singh had discontinued this compensation. Now the farmers of border region would get this benefit every year,” he added.
Earlier, interacting with the media persons, Badal said that Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal changes his stand on Satluj Yamuna link (SYl) canal issue as per his convenience just to mislead the people. “Fresh statement of Delhi Chief Minister on SYl is just aimed at deriving political benefit from this move whereas the Aam Aadmi Party supremo is against the state from core of his heart,” he said.