Noting that floods or any natural calamity is not the time to do politics, Union Minister for Agriculture, Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Tuesday that the BJP-led Centre would release more relief funds based on the flood damage memorandum submitted by the AAP-led state government to the Centre. Urging the Punjab government to “submit the demand memorandum after conducting ground surveys at the earliest,” Chouhan said the Centre would release more funds for the flood-hit people and farmers of Punjab. “That is how a federal structure works. The state government has to keep sending us reports on the losses, and we will release funds to pull people out of the crisis. Floods or any natural calamity is not the time to do politics.” “Jo bhi Punjab sarkaar ka memorandum hoga, uske anusaar Punjab aur uske kisaano ki bharpoor sewa mein koi kasar nahi rahegi (whatever the Punjab government's memorandum will be, based on which we will make all-out effort to serve Punjab and its farmers),” Chouhan said. Emphasising Prime Minister Narendra Modi is deeply concerned about the flood damage in Punjab, Chouhan said, “Earlier, we released an instalment of Rs 240 crore under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) as well. Whenever there is any natural calamity, there is no place for politics. The priority is to help our people. We have been urging the Punjab government repeatedly to submit flood damage reports on time. Chouhan inaugurated the newly constructed administrative building at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research-Indian Institute of Maize Research (ICAR-IIMR) in Ludhiana, built for Rs 37 crore. He also interacted with maize stakeholders, farmers, beneficiaries of rural development schemes and members of women Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Elaborating on the funds that the Centre has already approved for flood-hit Punjab, the minister said, “Rs 1.60 lakh per family has been approved for the reconstruction of 36,703 damaged houses, including Rs 1.20 lakh for the construction of houses, and Rs 40,000 for labour and toilet facilities.” “Last night, we received a report from the Punjab government that 36,000 houses were completely damaged in floods. We have approved Rs 1.60 lakh each for the reconstruction,” he said. Chouhan said the Centre also released Rs 74 crore for the free distribution of wheat seeds to compensate farmers for their crop loss in Punjab. “Funds have also been approved for mustard and other seed varieties,” he said. “Additionally, under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme, Rs 222 crore has already been transferred, in advance, to the accounts of 11.09 lakh farmers to help them sow wheat. Assistance under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) will also be provided to support farmers affected in the horticulture sector. The Centre will release additional funds once the state government submits a memorandum,” Chouhan added. Urging Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to rejoin the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Chouhan said, “The Punjab government's decision to opt out of the crop insurance scheme deprived farmers of critical protection from natural calamities.” Time to look at maize as 3rd important crop: Chouhan The union minister said he was extremely grateful to Punjab farmers for being the top contributors in the country's foodgrain pool and making the nation self-sufficient in wheat and paddy production, “but it's now time to diversify and shift to the third most important crop, maize”. “Maize can be a game-changer. We are readying new varieties,” Chouhan said, adding: “The maize production in India has nearly doubled from 24 million tons in 2014-15 to 42 million tons in 2024-25. It is estimated to further increase to 50 million tons by next year.” “After wheat and rice, maize is the third most important crop in our country. Beyond being a food crop, it has multiple industrial uses. Maize can also serve as a sustainable alternative to paddy, conserving water while yielding better returns to farmers,” the minister said. Emphasising the importance of the IIMR, Chouhan said it has played a vital role in improving maize productivity and supporting agricultural diversification. The minister urged citizens to prioritise India-made products (Swadeshi) to empower local artisans, retain wealth within the country, and strengthen India’s economy.
