In a major reprieve to the Punjab farmers worst affected by the unseasonal rains, chief minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday announced to enhance the compensation to the Punjab farmers for their rabi crops damaged during the inclement weather, from Rs 5,000 to Rs 8,000 per acre.

Badal, at a review meeting to assess the crop loss, was apprised that the wheat crop alone got damaged over nearly 1.2 lakh acres across the state, a spokesman said.

Badal asked the officers to ensure that every affected farmer was given the relief in a time-bound manner.

It was assessed that the state would be bearing an expenditure of Rs 96 crore as the compensation to the farmers for their crop loss.

The chief minister immediately sanctioned Rs 52 crore for disbursing among the hapless farmers. He also asked the officers to ensure the disbursement of the remaining Rs 44 crore within a week.

Procurement: Rs 1,400 cr to be released today

Punjab food and supplies minister Adaish Partap Singh Kairon on Thursday said the state government had released Rs 1,400 crore for the procured wheat this season,.

The minister said the amount would reach the farmers as their payments by Friday. Kairon, in a statement here, said all payments were being electronically disbursed to the accounts of ‘arhtiyas’ (commission agents) and farmers.

Source - http://www.hindustantimes.com/