Punjab Government on Monday decided to give Rs 68.44 lakh compensation for the damage of wheat crop in the area of 793 acres.
Taking a serious note of the substantial loss to standing Rabi wheat crop due to various incidence of fire across the State, the Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has directed the Punjab State Power Corporation limited (PSPCl) and the Revenue Department to immediately assess the damage and disburse the compensation, said state Financial Commissioner Revenue, Vini Mahajan.
She said that the State Government is fully alive to the urgency of awarding compensation to the farmers whose standing wheat crop has been gutted by fire.
In compliance with the directions, Revenue Department is extending compensation regarding damage caused to the wheat crop by fire due to reasons other than electrical short circuit or sparking, she said.
Mahajan said that the Department has already sanctioned compensation worth Rs 3.05 lakh for cases of Mansa and Tarn Taran districts involving damage in 220 kanals.
Besides, cases of 15 districts involving damage to 550 acres of land are under process which involves sanction of more than Rs 46 lakh, she said adding that compensation to the tune of Rs 8,000 per acre is provided in case of loss to crop due to fire caused by unknown reasons.
Principal Secretary, local Government, A Venuprasad, who also holds the charge of PSPCl chairman-cum-managing director, informed that PSPCl compensates loss of crops on account of fire due to short circuiting or sparking of electrical fitments.
Venuprasad said that as per the reports received from the field offices up to April 27, 2018, the compensation is to be paid by PSPCl for 243 acres which tentatively works out to be Rs 19.44 lakhs. The amount has been sanctioned and is in the process of disbursement to the farmers, he said.