The Punjab government has released an amount of Rs 186 crore to compensate the farmers for crop loss due to floods. Revenue, Rehabilitation and Disaster Management Minister Bram Shanker Jimpa in a statement said that Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has released an amount of Rs 186 crore to provide relief for the crop damage due to floods. He said the funds have been released to the deputy commissioners of 16 districts of the state from the National Disaster Relief Fund. The farmers have also been protesting seeking an enhanced compensation of Rs 50,000 per acre for crop loss as one of their demands. The issue is pending with the Centre. The state government has also written to the Centre for enhancement of compensation. Jimpa said that in July and August, the crops of farmers were damaged due to floods in many areas and a special girdawari (field inspection) had been carried out in all the flood-affected areas of the state. He said that CM Mann had fulfilled his promise to the flood victims on August 15 and initiated the process to hand over compensation cheques. He said the Punjab government is committed to providing compensation to the flood victims and has no dearth of funds for this purpose. Jimpa said that no stone will be left unturned to provide relief to the farmers and other affected people. The disaster management minister said that Rs 26.08 crore has been given to Sangrur district, Rs 22.44 crore to Ferozepur district, Rs 26.52 crore to Tarn Taran, Rs 59.50 crore to Patiala, while Rs 12.92 crore has been released to Mansa as relief for crop loss due to floods. Similarly, Rs 3.73 crore to Amritsar district, Rs 8.77 crore to Fazilka, Rs 5.84 crore to Gurdaspur, Rs 2.31 crore to Jalandhar, Rs 2.31 crore to Ludhiana, Rs 3.99 crore to Moga, Rs 18.45 lakh to Ropar, Rs 64.60 lakh to Pathankot, Rs 1.25 crore to Nawanshahar, Rs 1.59 crore to Fatehgarh Sahib and an amount of Rs 1.73 crore has been given to Mohali. Jimpa said the total compensation amount is Rs 186.12 crore.
