GOVT TAKES INITIATIVE OF GIVING COMPENSATION TO WHITE FLY AFFECTED FARM LABORERS

Maur Mandi/Bathinda,: Led by Chief Minister Mr Parkash Singh Badal, the Punjab government has taken historical decision of compensating the farm laborers for economic losses incurred due to natural calamity under which Rs 64 cr compensation is to be distributed. This Rs 64 cr is the tenth part of total compensation awarded to white fly affected cotton farmers in the cotton belt of Punjab. The Union Minister for Food Processing Industry Mrs Harsimrat Kaur Badal said this while inaugurating and laying foundation stone of various projects in the Maur assembly constituency today.
Talking to the media persons she said that the Punjab government has already released Rs 640 cr compensation to the 880 cotton farmers, whose tenth part Rs 64 cr will now be disbursed amongst the farm laborers. She added that Rs 4 cr has been received for the farm laborers of Bathinda district that will be disbursed soon.
She said that the government was now economically helping farm laborers whose households are dependant on the income earned from picking cotton. She said that in this hour of distress the Punjab government stands in support of its farmers and farm laborers.She said that besides Punjab, the cotton belts of Haryana, Rajasthan, Maharashtra etc too have faced the wrath of white fly wherein Punjab has awarded maximum compensation to its farmers. The state government increased Rs 3500 per acre compensation to Rs 8000 per acre and compensation was given to even those farmers who suffered losses less than 33 percent.
The Union Minister said that on January 1, 2016 the Punjab government was going to start Mukh Mantri Tirath Darshan Yatra Scheme under which people from various religions of Punjab will be taken to their respective places of pilgrims free of cost. Starting from Jan 12, 106 from Sri Amritsar Shaib, the second train of yatra will be flagged off from Raman Mandi (Bathinda) for Sri Nanded Sahib.Addressing the gathering at village Jodhpur Pakhar the Union minister said that Congress and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for two faces of the same coin. During the 2014 Lok Sabha elections, Congress joined hands with People’s Party of Punjab but still lost the elections. In 2013 Delhi assembly elections, the Congress first refused to partner with AAP, but then went ahead with the coalition which did not work for even six months in the capital.
Mrs Badal today laid foundation stone of Rs 1.77 cr worth water works in village Jodhpur Pakhar and laid foundation stone for widening of Rajgarh Kubbe-Kotli Khurd Road from 10 feet to 18 feet at the cost of Rs 3 cr. Besides this she also inaugurated the new cattle fair ground at Maur.The PWD minister Mr Janmeja Singh Sekhon, Deputy Commissioner Dr Basant Garg, SSP Mr Swapan Sharma, ADC (G) Mr Sumeet Kumar Jarangal, SDM Maur Mr Anmol Singh Dhaliwal and others were also present.