Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann announces 10% of crop loss compensation to go to farm labourers
In first cabinet meeting in Ludhiana, Bhagwant Mann says now on council of ministers will mostly meet outside state capital, Chandigarh, under initiative called Sarkar Tuhade Dwar
Punjab chief minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday said that 10% of the total compensation for crop damage will now go labourers employed by farmers.
Announcing the decision after a cabinet meeting held in Ludhiana, Mann said when the crop gets damaged due to heavy rain or hailstorms, farm labourers also lose work and income.
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Explaining how the scheme will be implemented, he said the state government would soon start registering labourers as very few of them are registered and they cannot avail the benefits of schemes of the state and central governments.
It was the first state cabinet meeting outside Chandigarh. It was held at Circuit House in Ludhiana, about 100km from the state capital.
Mann said it has been decided that most cabinet meetings from now on will be held outside Chandigarh and the initiative will be called Sarkar Tuhade Dwar (Government at your doorstep).
It will give officials and ministers a chance to listen to the grievances of the people, take feedback and suggestions and address their issues on the spot, he said.
“Cabinet meetings will be held in various places such as Moga, Mansa and Hoshiarpur. We can also hold these in a large village. Government representatives will spend a day where it is held,” Mann told a press conference in Ludhiana after the meeting.
Sharing details about the cabinet decision on farm labourers, he said, “We have decided that whatever compensation the government will give to farmers for their crop damage due to unseasonal rains or hailstorm, out of the total compensation, 10% will be given to farm labourers, too. For example, if ₹15,000 an acre is given as crop damage compensation, ₹1,500 will be given to those farm labourers who were to work in the fields, but could not as crop got damaged because of the rains. This is to compensate for the loss of work which they suffer,” he said.
“We have directed our officers to visit labour chowks, construction sites and rural areas and meet labourers there and get them registered,” Mann said as his ministers looked on.
“In the coming days, we will bring many pro-Punjab, pro-people initiatives,” he said.
Targeting previous governments, he said, “We don’t leave any files pending. Earlier, files were pending for two to three years,” he claimed.
“We are bringing the state back on the track of development so that Punjab once again becomes ‘rangla (vibrant)’,” said Mann.
