Punjab Congress rejects meager crop compensation given by Badal govt

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab Congress has rejected the meager compensation given by SAD-BJP government led by Parkash Singh Badal for the damage of Whet crop due to inclement weather.
Sukhpal Singh Khaira PPCC spokes person said that SAD-BJP government had palyed cruel joke witrh the farmers by paying Rs.78.51 crore ompensation. He said that compensation ordered by Badal was like rubbing salt on the fresh wounds and humiliation of farmers. Khaira said that as per the “Kharaba” report submitted by the Revenue Department, the losses incurred by the farmers for their wheat crop due to inclement weather is only Rs. 78.51 crore.
The report states that there was no “Kharaba” or loss of wheat crop at all, in the three districts of Mohali, Mansa and Patiala. The report states that a total area of approx. 1.29 lac acres of wheat crop was damaged in the 16 districts of Punjab, for which a sum of Rs. 41.52 crore has been released and the remaining Rs. 36.98 crore is pending due to shortage of budget.
Khaira said that in complete contrast to these figures, the Agriculture Department assessed a loss of Rs. 2175 crore to the farmers of Punjab, on account of 13 percent lesser yield of the wheat crop this season. The Mandi Board has admitted that the total arrival of wheat this year was only 104 lac metric tones, compared to 119 lac metric tones of wheat last year, which again indicates a decrease of 13 percent yield of wheat crop. But the Badal government has chosen to award only Rs. 78.51 crore as compensation.
It is noteworthy to mention here that as per latest figures released by NABARD the agrarian economy of Punjab is in shambles, with a colossal debt burden of Rs. 51,000 crore on the farmers. As a result, there have been spates of suicides across the state. Many farmers also committed suicides during the current wheat season itself, due to non procurement and poor output of their crop.Hence, it is saddening and astonishing to note that the Badal Government and the Akali Dal that claim itself to be the sole.champions of farmers rights, are humiliating them and leaving them in lurch during their hour of crises. The Badal duo never missed an opportunity to condemn the Dr. Manmohan Singh UPA Government for such lapses, but have not uttered a single word against Mr. Modi for his failure to award a suitable compensation package. Although, the BJP and the Akali Dal had made tall promises of implementing the Swaminathan Committee report in their respective election manifestos, but they are completely helpless to even resolve a small matter of honorable compensation.Therefore, Congress trashes and rejects the meager and humiliating compensation of Rs. 78.51 crore to the farmers and demands Rs. 20,000 per acre relief, for the damage incurred to their wheat crop due to untimely rain and hailstorm. Congress also demands a public apology from Mr. Badal for making mockery of farmers by offering them such a pitiable, inadequate and paltry relief package.