Remove cap on relief, demand farmers

Farmers here have urged the state government to relax existing norms that restrict compensation for crop loss to a maximum of five acres per farmer.

The demand comes as the Punjab Government has announced compensation for all farmers affected by floods in the border belt. “There are established norms under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF), wherein farmers or landowners are compensated for only up to five acres of land regardless of their actual holdings or losses,” said a senior official. However, the official said the issue was under discussion at the government-level.

Gurbhej Singh, a farmer from Ghonewal village, said he owned 20 acres and had taken another 25 acres on lease. He claimed to have suffered 100 per cent crop loss as his fields were submerged, leaving behind a thick layer of silt.

“The officials conducting girdawari (crop loss assessment) told us that compensation would be limited to just five acres. If that happens, it won’t even cover a fraction of the financial damage we have suffered,” he said.

The cap on compensation has been a recurring issue. During the 2023 floods, similar concerns were raised when compensation was restricted to five acres, leaving many large landholders undercompensated.

“The flood compensation back then was also capped at five acres citing the norms, which meant the rest of damage went unaccounted for,” recalled Hardeep Singh, another farmer.

Rattan Singh Randhawa, a prominent leader of the Jamhoori Kisan Sabha, stressed that the state government must consider the unprecedented scale of devastation this year.

“Losses are manifold compared to 2023 and this time, the government has an opportunity to provide justice by relaxing these outdated restrictions,” he said.