Amritsar: Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian urged Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan for an immediate relief and massive financial package to address the devastating impact of floods, besides, demanding enhanced compensation to support affected farmers after over four lakh acres of state’s agricultural land submerged, threatening both state and national food security.
In a press release,Khudian accompanied Union Agriculture Minister to flood-affected areas in Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Kapurthala districts, showcasing the devastating impact on agriculture sector.
Highlighting the extensive damage caused by floods, Punjab Agriculture Minister informed that standing crops at over 4 lakh acres of farmland have been inundated according to preliminary assessments. With paddy fields being the worst affected, just weeks before harvesting season, he said that this devastation has resulted in significant losses for farmers and the state’s agricultural economy. The impact on the rural economy is further exacerbated by substantial damage to livestock.
Expressing concerns over the current compensation for flood victims, Punjab Agriculture Minister said that crop damage compensation stands at Rs 6,800 per acre, which is insufficient considering the extent of losses incurred by farmers. He urged the Central Government to increase this compensation to at least Rs. 50,000 per acre.
Khudian has also demanded the immediate release of Rs 8,000 crore of Rural Development Fund (RDF) and Market Development Fund (MDF) stalled by the Centre Government. Apart from this, Punjab requires a special package to mitigate the impact of the floods and support the state’s economy, he affirmed.
