The North News
Ferozepur, September 2
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has urged the Government of India to revise its compensation norms for natural disasters, calling the current provisions “grossly inadequate” for the scale of destruction caused by the recent floods. Touring flood-hit areas of Ferozepur district by boat, Mann said more than 1,300 villages across Punjab have been affected, with about three lakh acres of farmland submerged and widespread damage to crops, livestock and rural livelihoods.
The Chief Minister argued that existing relief under the State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) falls short, particularly for farmers who have borne rising input costs. He proposed compensation of at least ₹50,000 per acre for damaged crops, compared with the current lower rates. Mann also wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking an increase in ex-gratia payments: from ₹4 lakh to ₹8 lakh for families of those killed, from ₹74,000 to ₹1.5 lakh for partial disabilities, and from ₹2.5 lakh to ₹5 lakh for severe disabilities. He pressed for the release of ₹60,000 crore pending with the Union government.
The Chief Minister said he had spoken directly with the Prime Minister and Union Home Minister, who had called him to discuss the situation. He accused the Centre of imposing restrictions that prevent states from offering adequate relief, and urged a “liberal approach” to compensate flood victims.
Mann said the floods represent the biggest loss of crops and property in Punjab’s recent history, hitting paddy fields just weeks before harvest. He added that he was personally overseeing relief operations to ensure timely assistance and rehabilitation.
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