Relief to be disbursed from May 1: Khattar

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, April 24

Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar today announced that compensation for the damage caused to crops due to rain and hailstorms would be distributed from May 1 to 15. It has also been decided to raise henceforth the minimum amount to be paid to a shareholder from Rs250 to Rs500.

This decision was taken at a review meeting held under the chairmanship of Khattar here today.

The Chief Minister directed the authorities concerned to take the services of additional 500 special patwaris. The minister concerned of the District Grievance Redressal Committees would supervise the distribution of compensation. He said that the Additional Chief Secretaries and Principal Secretaries would monitor this work in their allotted districts. As per the report, over Rs1,092 crore would be distributed among farmers. All Deputy Commissioners have been directed to prepare amount payment receipts (APR) by April 30.

The compensation would be distributed by constituting committees under the chairmanship of an HCS or a Class-I officer. The proceedings of the committee would be videographed and the disbursement of compensation would be done at a public place. The disbursement should be made in the presence of sarpanches, panches, lambardars and other well-known persons.