Punjab Government is fully alive to the urgency of awarding compensation to the farmers whose standing wheat crop has been gutted by fire, informed Mrs. Vini Mahajan, FCR Punjab and added that taking a serious note of the substantial loss to standing Rabi wheat crop due to various incidence of fire across the State, Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh directed Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) and the Revenue Department to immediately assess the damage and disburse the compensation.In compliance with the directions, Revenue Department is extending compensation regarding damage caused to the wheat crop by fire due to reasons other than electrical short circuit/sparking. The department has already sanctioned compensation worth Rs.3.05 lac for cases of Mansa and Tarn Taran district involving damage in 220 canals. Besides, cases of 15 districts involving damage to 550 acres of land are under process which involves sanction of more than Rs. 46 lakh. She further informed that compensation to the tune of Rs.8000 per acre is provided in case of loss to crop due to fire caused by unknown reasons.
FCR said that the Deputy Commissioners have been instructed to update the assessment of areas where reports of damage to the wheat crop have been received so that disbursement of compensation is made to the remaining cases at the earliest. The State Government is fully committed to adequately compensate the farmers for losses suffered due to fire, said she.Principal Secretary, A. Venuprasad, who also holds the charge of Chairman-Cum-Managing Director of the PSPCL informed that PSPCL compensates loss of crops on account of fire due to short circuiting or sparking of electrical fitments. The rate of compensation is Rs. 8000 per acre where the loss exceeds 75%, Rs.4800 per acre where loss exceeds 50% but does not exceed 75% and Rs.3200 per acre where the loss exceeds 25% but does not exceed 50%. He said that as per the reports received from the field offices up to April 27, 2018 the compensation is to be paid by PSPCL for 243 acres which tentatively works out to be Rs.19.44 lacs. This amount has been sanctioned and is in the process of disbursement to the farmers.