COTTON CROP DAMAGE: Panchayats told to identify farm labourers for relief; favouritism alleged

COTTON CROP DAMAGE

Panchayats told to identify farm labourers for relief

Favouritism alleged

• The cotton growers are already accusing the state government of giving compensation for cotton damage to its favourite people. Even, there are reports from some areas that the compensation meant for cotton growers was given to paddy growers.

Tribune News Service
Lambi, December 24

After failing to find any foolproof mechanism to identify farm labourers/cotton pickers to compensate them against their losses due to crop damage this year, the state government has finally decided to give the amount to village panchayats so that they can disburse it among the farm labourers.

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said that 10 per cent of the total compensation amount given to a village for the loss of cotton crop would be given to the panchayats to disburse it among the farm labourers.

“For instance, we had given Rs 1.8 crore as compensation against cotton crop loss to farmers in Ghumiara village. Now, we will give its 10 per cent to the farm labourers in the village i.e. Rs 18 lakh. The village panchayat headed by its sarpanch will identify the beneficiaries,” the Chief Minister told The Tribune.

Asked whether the village panchayat would be able to find out genuine beneficiaries, the Chief Minister said, “There is nothing new in it. The grants are usually given to the heads to disburse among their subordinates.”

On another query about what were the findings of Additional Chief Secretary Suresh Kumar and Financial Commissioner Revenue Karan Avtar Singh, who recently visited the cotton belt of the state to seek suggestions from the public in this regard, Badal said, “No other option is available other than giving the money to the panchayats for further distribution.”

Courtesy: The Tribune