Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Panniwala (Sri Muktsar Sahib), Envisioning the Crop Insurance Scheme as the remedy of all the ills faced by the farmers, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today said that the Union Government must introduce this scheme at the earliest for protecting the peasantry from the vagaries of the weather.
Interacting with the media persons on the sidelines of his whirlwind tour to assess the damage caused in the villages of Sri Muktsar Sahib and Fazilika due to hailstorm last night, the Chief Minister said that such natural disasters broke the backbone of the farmers who nurture their crops with sweat and toil. He said that it was unfortunate that thousands of acre of ‘Golden harvest’ of the farmers have been ruined due to this natural calamity, which would further accentuate the miseries of the farmers, who were already reeling under a heavy debt. Mr. Badal said that in this hour of crisis the Union government must swing into action by forming a long term policy to cater with adversaries of nature else the food security of the country would be periled.
The Chief Minister said that besides adequately compensating the farmers’ for such heavy losses, the Union government must also introduce a Crop Insurance Schemefor them so that their interests could be watched. Mr. Badal said that he would soon impress upon the Government of India (GoI) to take the necessary steps so that interests of the farmers could be safeguarded. “We are committed to help the farmers and no stone will be left unturned for this noble cause” he added.
The Chief Minister said that in a pro-farmer initiative the NDA government has now revised the relief norms to the distressed farmers for the crop damage due to natural calamities across the country adding that now the farmers would be eligible for input subsidy if 33% of their crop has been damaged instead of earlier norms of 50% or more. He said that this decision would go a long way in mitigating the woes of farmers due to the vagaries of the weather. However, Mr. Badal said that the relief norms for the affected farmers must be enhanced to 10,000 per acre.
Announcing an immediate relief package for the farmers, the Chief Minister, who visited Panniwala, Tarkhanwala, Udaang, Lakkarwala, Bhulerian, Taamkot and Baam villages today, asked the Secretary Irrigation to immediately visit the hailstorm affected villages and monitor the ongoing relief measures. He also called up the Financial Commissioner Revenue (FCR) and asked him to immediately conduct special ‘Girdawaris’ for assessing the loss due to hailstorm.
On the complaint lodged by the local villagers against a Patwari for allegedly demanding bribe from them, the Chief Minister asked the Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) to get the matter thoroughly probed and take necessary action against the guilty officer by filing a case.
The Chief Minister was accompanied by MLA Malout Mr. Harpreet Singh, Chairman Punjab Agro Food Grains Corporation Jathedar Dyal Singh Kolianwali, Deputy Commissioner of Sri Muktsar Sahib Mr. Jaskiran Singh and Deputy Commissioner Fazilka Mr. Ravinder Singh.
