SAS Nagar-Senior Congress leader and former Health Minister Balbir Singh Sidhu has termed the Punjab government’s announcement of ₹20,000 per acre compensation for flood-hit farmers as “unt ke muh mei jira”, saying the amount is grossly inadequate. He demanded that farmers must be given at least ₹50,000 per acre so that they can prepare for the next sowing season.
In a press statement issued today, Sidhu said that thousands of farmers across several districts have lost not just their crops, but also their homes and livestock. In such a dire situation, ₹20,000 per acre is nowhere close to sufficient—it would barely cover the cost of repairing damaged tractors, tubewells, or other machinery.
Sidhu further pointed out that the Punjab government is misleading people by projecting the entire compensation as its own contribution. In reality, ₹10,000 per acre has been given by the Central government, ₹5,000 from the Centre’s disaster relief fund, and only ₹5,000 from the Punjab government itself. Thus, the state’s actual contribution is minimal.
He also reminded that Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who once claimed that states could use central funds at their discretion, is now writing letters to the Centre seeking changes in the rules for their utilization.
Concluding, Sidhu said, “Flood-affected farmers have to rebuild their lives from scratch. They deserve not only ₹50,000 per acre as crop compensation, but also separate relief for collapsed houses, damaged machinery, and loss of livestock. Farmers will face countless challenges in the aftermath of this disaster, and they can overcome them only if adequate financial assistance is provided. Ensuring this is the state government’s foremost responsibility.