198 villages hit by floods in dist, says CM

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann gave a detailed account of losses suffered by farmers and villagers during a compensation distribution programme for the flood-affected victims of Ajnala.

The CM said that in Amritsar district, 198 villages were affected by the floods and according to the special survey reports, crops on 59,793 acres of land were damaged. He said that 958 houses were completely destroyed, and 3,711 were partially damaged, adding that a total of 307 cattlehead were lost. Mann said that to ensure transparency and timely distribution, assessments were done for the first time through an online portal.

He said during the floods, 10 people lost their lives in the district, and each family was issued Rs four lakh in compensation. He said that today, 669 affected individuals in the district are being given a total of Rs 6.7 crore for the loss of crops, houses and livestock, adding that the remaining beneficiaries will soon receive their compensation directly in their bank accounts.

He claimed that for the first time, farmers are being paid Rs 20,000 per acre, the highest in the country, and added that under the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF), only Rs 6,800 per acre can be given, of which the Punjab Government contributes Rs 1,700. He said that the state government had requested the Central Government to provide Rs 50,000 per acre, but no response has been received till now.