Punjab agriculture minister urges immediate relief package from Centre

Chandigarh, Sep 4 (PTI) Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian on Thursday urged Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for an immediate relief package to address the devastating impact of floods in the state.

He also demanded enhanced compensation to support affected farmers after the floods submerged more than 4 lakh acres of the state's agricultural land, threatening both state and national food security.

Khuddian received the Union Agriculture Minister, who visited the state to assess damages, at the Amritsar airport on Thursday. He accompanied Chouhan to the flood-affected areas in Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Kapurthala districts, showing him the devastating impact on the agriculture sector.

Highlighting the extensive damage, Khuddian said standing crops in over 4 lakh acres of farmland have been inundated according to preliminary assessments.

With paddy fields being the worst affected just weeks before harvesting season, he said this devastation has resulted in significant losses for farmers and the state's agricultural economy.

The impact on the rural economy is further exacerbated by substantial loss of livestock, he said.

"Punjab's contribution to the nation's food security cannot be overlooked," Khuddian said, adding that as an agrarian state it plays a pivotal role in contributing to the Central food pool.

The state's economic backbone is under immense strain, necessitating immediate support to revive the sector and mitigate the suffering of farmers, he added.

Expressing concerns over the current compensation for flood victims, he said the crop damage compensation stands at Rs 6,800 per acre, which is insufficient considering the extent of losses incurred by farmers. He urged the Central government to increase this compensation to at least Rs 50,000 per acre.

Khuddian also demanded an immediate release of Rs 8,000 crore of rural development fund and market development fund. PTI CHS RUK RUK