Badal seeks revision in compensation for flood affected people

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today sought revision in the norms for compensation given to flood affected people, saying that the grant as per current criteria was inadequate.
During his visit to flood-affected Baggewala areas in Ferozepur district today, Badal said, "The Centre has fixed the norms irrationally which are inadequate to compensate anyone affected by floods or any other natural calamity."
He said on one hand the cost of farming inputs was at an all time high and on the other hand, the Centre has quantified rate of this compensation merely at Rs 5,000 per acre.
"In view of the losses suffered by farmers due to recent floods, we were ready to help our brethren in this hour of crisis, but our hands are tied up due to stringent norms stipulated by the Centre," he said.

The Chief Minister said it was on record that the Union government was unaware of the ground realities and the policies framed by it, without taking stock of situation at the ground level, were absolutely meaningless.
Advocating the need to re-fix these norms, Badal said that the Union government must keep in mind all factors including the ever escalating cost of farm operations before fixing the compensation amount.

He blamed the Congress-led UPA leadership and bureaucracy at Centre for their "blatant insensitivity" towards farmers.
Badal said he has already ordered to defer the recovery of crop loans of the co-operative societies thereby converting the short term crop loans of farmers into medium term crop loans in order to ease out pressure of repayment on them.

The Chief Minister said he has also asked to immediately assess the loss caused to standing crops due to floods in 22 villages along Dhusi bundh.
Later while talking to the media persons, the Chief Minister expressed concern over the incursion of Chinese forces into Arunachal Pradesh.
"UPA government has failed in safeguarding the borders of the country due to which China and Pakistan were regularly violating the border treaties," he said.