Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Badal on Monday asked the Congress-led Punjab Government to order an immediate girdwari (revenue assessment) to assess the damage caused to Rabi crops due to heavy winds.
He said that according to reports filtering in from the State, there was widespread damage to wheat crop as well as mustard and vegetable crops due to dust storms last night.
Besides ordering an immediate girdwari, farmers should be given compensation for crop damage as soon as possible, he demanded.
SAD president also called for hiking the crop compensation in Punjab by increasing the State quotient share in the compensation amount.
He said that earlier during SAD-BJP Government, former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal had played an important role in getting crop compensation due from the Union Government increased by one-and-a-half times in 2015.
“Parameters for assessing crop damage were also brought down with farmers suffering 33 per cent damage being eligible for compensation from the earlier 50 per cent,” he said.
Sukhbir said that besides this, the SAD-BJP combine government had also given compensation on its own to help farmers in distress. “Cotton farmers, who were given a compensation of `5,400 per acre from the Centre, were also given a compensation of `2,600 per acre from the State,” he added.
He said that the Government should immediately announce enhanced compensation for all wheat crops damaged due to hail and dust storms during this season.
“It is the moral responsibility of the State to bail out farmers in times of natural catastrophe and also minimise their loss. The new Government should not be found wanting in this regard,” he added.