Delhi Cabinet approves ex-gratia relief to farmers for crop loss
Darpan News Desk IANS, 28 Jan, 2022 12:04 PM
New Delhi, Jan 28 (IANS) Delhi cabinet on Friday approved ex-gratia relief to farmers on Friday at the rate of Rs 20,000 per acre on account of loss due to unseasonal rains.
Due to incessant rains and water logging of fields owing to overflow of nearby natural drains during September-October 2021 in Delhi, crops of farmers have been severely damaged, the Delhi government said in a release, adding that Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal had taken cognisance of the matter and assessed that a relief package for crop damage was necessary to be provided.
The cabinet also approved the rates at which ex-gratia relief to farmers was to be paid as per assessment of the loss. The expenditure under the exercise will be about Rs 53 crore for an approximate area of 29,000 acre.
"If the loss is assessed to be 70 per cent or less, compensation will be paid at the rate of 70 per cent. If the assessed loss is more than 70 per cent, compensation will be paid at the rate of 100 per cent," it further said.
Upon directions of the Chief Minister, teams were sent to the ground to assess the damage done to the crops. The CM has given express orders to the teams to understand the needs of the farmers and assure that everyone gets justice.-
While the Centre's announcement to repeal three farm laws is seen as a political decision with eye on forthcoming assembly polls in five states, the BJP claims that it has nothing to do with elections as the party has won many states after laws were passed by the Parliament.
On January 12 this year, the Supreme Court had stayed the implementation of the three farm laws after scores of farmers from Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh pitched their tents on various Delhi borders in protest against the three laws.
A nine-member committee of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), the consortium of protesting farmers' bodies, will be meeting on Saturday, and it is likely to put forth four main demands. The meeting will also decide whether the SKM will go ahead with the originally announced 'March Towards Delhi' programme on November 26.
Congress legislator and Punjab unit party president Navjot Singh Sidhu on Friday said the minimum support price (MSP) is the bigger issue than farm laws as it is the lifeline of farmers.
Extending his greetings to the people on Prakash Purb of Guru Nanak Dev, the Chief Minister said it was really a matter of great honour to inaugurate this prestigious project which happens to coincide with Gurpurab.
Three employees of Air India, accused of having a role in the smuggling of gold, have been arrested, officials said on Friday. They have been accused of having a hand in a recent incident wherein 1.5 kg gold -- stored beneath an aircraft's seat -- was seized.
