Delhi Government will provide compensation for damage suffered by Sarso farmers this month as well; have ordered officers to conduct surveys: CM Arvind Kejriwal
Farmers suffered losses due to unseasonal rains of late; we made sure to provide compensation as soon as possible: CM Arvind Kejriwal
Farmers were totally absent from the governance systems of Delhi before AAP came to power; former CMs and ministers didn’t even know farming happens in Delhi: CM Arvind Kejriwal
If crops have suffered less than 70% damage, we’ll pay at the rate of 70% compensation; if more, we’ll pay as per 100% rates: CM Arvind Kejriwal
When the pink bollworm infested cotton crops of Punjab, their government announced a mere 12,000 as compensation and hasn’t paid even that amount: CM Arvind Kejriwal
This country will not progress until and unless all state or union governments start respecting our farmers: CM Arvind Kejriwal
I am not just the CM of Delhi; I am the son of all the farmers of Delhi; I will always stand by our annadata: CM Arvind Kejriwal
NEW DELHI:
The Kejriwal Government has always walked hand-in-hand with the farmers of the state and ensured they don’t face any problems in their lives. In this vein, Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal handed over compensation cheques to farmers who suffered crop damage due to rains, today. The CM stated — Delhi’s farmers are getting the highest amount of compensation all over India. Delhi Government will provide compensation for damage suffered by Sarso farmers this month as well; have ordered officers to conduct surveys. Farmers suffered losses due to unseasonal rains of late; we made sure to provide compensation as fast as possible. Farmers were totally absent from the governance systems of Delhi before AAP came to power; former CMs and ministers didn’t even know farming happens in Delhi. If crops have suffered less than 70% damage, we’ll pay at the rate of 70% compensation; if more, we’ll pay as per 100% rates. When the pink bollworm infested cotton crops of Punjab, their government announced a mere 12,000 as compensation and hasn’t paid even that amount. This country will not progress until and unless all state or union governments start respecting our farmers. I am not just the CM of Delhi; I am the son of all the farmers of Delhi; I will always stand by our annadata.
Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal today handed over compensation cheques to farmers who suffered crop damage due to unseasonal rains in the month of October. Revenue Minister Shri Kailash Gahlot, Chief Secretary Shri Vijay Kumar Dev and other high-ranking officials were present at an event organised at the Auditorium of Delhi Secretariat. While distributing the cheques the CM noticed that an aged farmer, Jaiprakash was finding it difficult to come to the stage. He requested the farmer to stay seated and went down to handover the cheque to him and had a word with him about his health. This was widely appreciated by the farmers and they honoured CM Arvind Kejriwal by tying a traditional pagdi on his head as a token of respect.
As of now, a total of Rs 55.35 crores will be paid by the Kejriwal Government to the farmers in lieu of the crop damage.
Shri Arvind Kejriwal said, “Back in 2013, when we had just made our party, there was a thunderstorm that ruined crops in Delhi. When a journalist approached the then Chief Minister, she asked whether farming even took place in Delhi. A CM who ruled for 15 years did not know that farming takes place in Delhi. This added to the woes of the farmers. They felt insulted. It showed how the farmers were absent from the whole governance system of Delhi. You couldn’t expect the government to help the farmers when the CM did not know they existed.”
He added, “Right after we came to power, a group of farmers came to me and told me how the unseasonal rains had destroyed their crops. Instead of waiting for anyone else, I went along with them and visited the entire area. About 8-10 villages had suffered drastically. I sat with them in their farm itself with a pen and paper and calculated their expenses as they told me. We immediately announced a compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre. The amount was transferred within 2-3 months itself.”
The CM continued, “Now in the month of October last year, a similar situation transpired. We have again started providing compensation as per Rs 20,000 per acre. We did not complicate the calculations. We kept it as simple as possible to keep it transparent. The logic is simple: if a farmer has faced less than 70% of the damage, the government will pay at the rate of 70%. If more than 70% we’ll pay 100%. Since we made the announcement, our teams have been surveying the on-ground damage. I congratulate all of them on achieving the feat in such a short time. The farmers will start receiving their cheques from today itself. I am starting the procedure symbolically by handing over the first eleven of these. Unlike other states that have the audacity to hand over 10-20 rupees as compensation to insult the farmers, the Delhi Government is paying a very respectable amount. A lot of these cheques are over 2-3 lac rupees.”
Talking to the farmers the CM said, “In Punjab too, the cotton crop was ruined in the month of October. The pink bollworm had blighted the crop. The government announced a compensation of 12 thousand rupees, despite the fact that the farmers’ costs were higher. Nothing will happen in 12 thousand rupees, according to the farmers and even that 12,000 rupees is yet to be received by the farmers. Even though the costs were lower here, we announced a rate of Rs 20,000 per acre, and everyone is now receiving the payment. This is your government. We work for you. Consider me as accessible as your son or brother. I am always here to help you. I was informed that the Sarso crops got ruined in January. We have ordered compensation for that as well. Surveys will start very very soon.”
As per Revenue Minister Shri Kailash Gahlot, “Governments across the country talk a lot about farmers but don’t do much for farmers. Shri Arvind Kejriwal is the only Chief Minister in the country who understands the plight of farmers and supports them when they are in trouble. No government in the country has ever paid a compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre. Farmers’ losses may not be fully compensated with the amount, but they will be greatly relieved. I am grateful to CM Arvind Kejriwal for his selfless efforts. Farmers will be eternally grateful to CM Arvind Kejriwal for his support. I believe that whenever the farmer brothers are in turmoil, CM Arvind Kejriwal is always there for them as a member of their family. I hope we will always be able to stand by them like we do now.”
Compensation has been paid at the rate of Rs 20,000 per acre
Under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal, the Delhi Cabinet had approved an ex-gratia relief to farmers at the rate of Rs 20,000 per acre on account of loss due to unseasonal rains. The Cabinet had also approved the rates at which ex-gratia relief to farmers was to be paid as per assessment of the loss. If the loss of the farmer is assessed to be less than 70%, compensation will be paid at the rate of 70% of the amount. If the assessed loss is more than 70% compensation will be paid at the rate of 100% amount. The expenditure under the exercise will be about Rs 55.35 crores for an approximate area of 30,000 acres.
CM Arvind Kejriwal had directed officers to ensure that farmers do not face trouble
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 had been severely damaged. Chief Minister Shri Arvind Kejriwal had taken cognisance of the matter and was of the view that a relief package for farmers was necessary to be provided. Upon directions of the Chief Minister, teams were sent to the ground to assess the damage done to the crops. The CM had given strict orders to the officers to take note of the needs of the farmers and assure that everyone gets the justice they deserve.
Eligibility for the compensation
The eligibility conditions for compensation and the category of farmers who shall be eligible for claiming compensation are as follows :- I. He must be the recorded owner of the land; II. The recorded owner must not be a Company; III. The land must not be vested with Gaon Sabha; IV. Farm Houses, which are in the nature of plots with pukka boundary walls, will not be entitled.
Following farmers were handed over cheques by the CM today
Kartar Singh, Ram Singh and Inder Singh of Deorala Rawta were paid a compensation of 3,32,600, 3,00,000, and 2,78,800 respectively; Jainpur’s Jai Prakash and Somdutt were paid 2,76,200 and 2,53,200 respectively; Galibpur’s Govinder Kumar Kapoor was paid 1,52,800 while Dhansa’s Ran Singh was paid 81,940. Alipur’s Nishant Bansal was paid 1,05,417; Palla’s Mahavir Singh was paid 1,02,604; while Naya Bans Iradat Nagar’s Ajay Kumar and Vijay Kumar were paid 91,665 each.