CHANDIGARH: Leader of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa today appealed to Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, who is visiting Punjab, to announce a comprehensive relief and rehabilitation package for the state’s flood-affected farmers and farm labourers.
Bajwa said the recent floods have inflicted unprecedented damage—destroying crops over lakhs of acres, damaging homes, sweeping away livestock, and leaving rural families in severe distress. He stressed that Punjab, which has for decades filled the nation’s granaries and fed the stomach of the entire country, now looks to the nation for support in its moment of need. “It is now the nation’s duty to help Punjab stand up again, ” he said.
Outlining the expectations of farmers and labourers, Bajwa called for enhanced crop-loss compensation of ₹50, 000–₹70, 000 per acre instead of the meagre norms under SDRF. He also urged the government to provide compensation for fully destroyed homes, animal lost, and ₹10 lakh along with a government job for the families of those who lost their lives.
He further sought loan relief measures including a moratorium on instalments and waiver of interest for both farmers and farm labourers, along with a dedicated relief share for labourers. Bajwa also pressed for a time-bound and transparent special girdawari (damage survey) to ensure fair and swift disbursal of aid, along with free supply of seeds and fertilisers to enable re-sowing.
To safeguard against future calamities, Bajwa urged the Centre to introduce a farmer-friendly crop insurance scheme for Punjab and to invest in permanent flood-prevention measures such as desilting canals and drains and strengthening embankments. He also recommended allowing farmers to sell the sand deposited on their fields by floodwaters, both to clear land and generate some recovery income.
“These are not demands of luxury but urgent necessities for survival and recovery, ” Bajwa said. “Punjab has always stood by the nation. It is time the nation, through the Union government, stands firmly by Punjab’s farmers and farm labourers. I sincerely hope the Union Agriculture Minister will announce a special package without delay.”