Rs.1600 crore compensation announced by PM was a joke
CHANDIGARH: In a major relief to flood affected people, the Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday announced to give Rs 7200 per acre for de-silting of sand from fields of the farmers under ‘Jisda Khet, Ohdi Ret’ scheme in the flood affected districts.
Winding up the discussion during a special session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, the Chief Minister said that under ‘Jehda Khet, Ohdi Ret’ the farmers have been allowed to remove sand and silt accumulated due to floods in their fields and sell them if they desire. He said that due to the floods, sand and silt have accumulated in several fields at the inundated villages therefore, it has been decided that farmers will be allowed to remove sand and silt from their own fields. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government will give Rs 7200 per acre to the farmers under the scheme.
The Chief Minister said that in a healing touch the flood victims the state government has decided to enhance the compensation of 26 to 33 percent crop loss to Rs 10, 000 per acre from existing Rs 2000 per acre under SDRF norms, 33 to 75 percent crop loss to Rs 10, 000 from existing Rs 6800 per acre and for 75 to 100 percent crop loss compensation has been increased to Rs 20, 000 per acre again from existing Rs 6800. He said that in the Rs 20, 000 per acre compensation being given to the farmers the state government will contribute Rs 14, 900 which is the highest in the country. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that he will meet the Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Tuesday to flag the case of the state.
The Chief Minister said that for the repair of fully damaged house compensation worth Rs 1.20 lakh and for partially damaged houses the compensation has been raised from existing Rs 6500 to Rs 35, 100. He further said that time bound special Girdawari to ascertain the losses suffered by the people is already going on. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state government will give Rs 47, 500 per hectare (Rs 18, 800 per acre) to the farmers whose land has been eroded away by the rivers.
The Chief Minister said that some of these philanthropists adopted villages for rehabilitation whereas Army and NDRF provided state of the art apparatus for the relief work. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that now it is the time for rehabilitation and the state government is introducing a Bill in this regard. He said that the state government will start the distribution of the compensation to the flood affected people from October 15 before the festival of Diwali.
The Chief Minister further said that the state government has already released Rs 4.50 crore for water logged areas of the state. He said that in order to have an advanced mechanism for prediction of the weather IIT Kharagpur and Bangalore along with Thapar University Patiala have been roped in. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that Thapar University will launch its own Satellite for meteorological predictions to avert and minimize loss due to such natural tragedies.
The Chief Minister said that the state government has sought a hike of flood compensation to Rs 50, 000 per acre from the Government of India. He bemoaned that the Prime Minister has time to meet the selected representatives (Governor) over the crucial issues whereas elected representatives are being ignored by him. met with the PM for relief works but the PM doesn't have time for elected representatives.
Bhagwant Singh Mann said that even during this hour of grave crisis, the Union Ministers came to the state for disaster tourism instead of extending a helping hand to the state government and people.
The Chief Minister said that even the Rs 1600 crore announced by the Prime Minister is a cruel joke with the state adding that it is ironic that the Rs 240 crore which the state was to get from SDRF has been included in it. He said that contrary to this the Prime Minister is announcing a huge relief package in the poll bound states like Bihar. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the state opposes this step motherly treatment with the state and he will raise these issues with the Union Home Minister on Tuesday.
Taking the Leader's opposition to cudgels, the Chief Minister asked him the rationale behind opposing the Rangla Punjab Fund which has been established by the state government. He said that the state government has established this fund to rope in the contributions from the CSR and other philanthropists who want to help the flood victims. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that for the reasons best known to him, the Leader of Opposition is baselessly issuing statements in this regard.