Chandigarh, Sep 8 (PTI) The Punjab Cabinet on Monday decided to provide Rs 20,000 as compensation for each acre of crops damaged and also gave its nod to a scheme allowing farmers to extract and sell sand deposited in their fields after the floods.
Officials said farmers of flood-affected villages will not require any permit till December 31 to remove sand from their farmland under the ‘Jisda Khet, Usdi Ret’ (One who owns farmland, owns sand) scheme.
The decisions were made in the Cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann from a hospital in Mohali, where he was admitted last week with complaints of exhaustion and low heart rate.
The permission for removal of silt or sand from agricultural land by way of this “one-time measure” shall not be considered mineral mining. Farmers in flood-hit areas had expressed concern over the accumulation of sand brought by flood waters to their agricultural fields.
In a video message after the meeting, Mann said, “We are giving permission to farmers to extract sand from their fields. If you want to sell sand or you want to use it for yourself, you can do so.” According to the Cabinet decision, the deputy commissioners concerned shall list out affected villages where farmers, cultivators, or a group of farmers can remove silt, sand and river-borne materials deposited by the flood.
All district mining officers, as well as district-level and sub-divisional level monitoring committees, shall facilitate the removal and lifting of silt without disturbing the original ground surface by way of pits, trenches or otherwise, officials said.
As far as crops damaged by the deluge, Mann said the state government will give a compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre to affected farmers. “Until now, this is the maximum compensation to be given by any state,” he claimed.
“Cheques will be handed over to you (farmers),” the chief minister said.
According to officials, crops on 1.76 lakh hectares of land have been damaged in the flood, the worst faced by the state since 1988.
Mann also said Rs 4 lakh will be given to every family that lost a member in the calamity. Also, houses damaged in the flood would be surveyed for providing financial assistance to the affected people, he said after the Cabinet meeting.
Also, the time limit for farmers to repay the loans they had taken from cooperative banks and state agriculture banks has been extended by six months, the chief minister announced. “For the next six months, no instalment will be required to be paid, and no interest will be added to it.” He further said the state government will provide financial assistance for loss of cattle, goats and poultry birds. A survey of flood-damaged government properties, including schools, colleges, electric poles, and grids, will be done.
Asserting that the AAP government stands by the people of Punjab in the hour of crisis, Mann said he would be “among the flood victims” after he is discharged from the hospital.
At the meeting, the Cabinet also gave a green signal to the Custom Milling Policy for the Kharif Marketing Season 2025-26, starting from September 16, and the procurement of paddy would be completed up to November 30.
To allot mines more efficiently, generate more revenue and increase material supply, the Cabinet gave nod to making amendments in the Punjab State Minor Mineral Policy, 2023 and relevant rules of the Punjab Minor Minerals Rules, 2013.
These modifications are related to auction modalities, grant of mining rights, period of concession, concession amount, payment of security deposit, change in responsibility for seeking environment clearance, introducing the concept of “Dead Rent”, both in the Punjab State Minor Mineral Policy 2023 and the Punjab Minor Minerals Rules 2013.
The Cabinet gave approval to constitute the Punjab State Mineral Exploration Trust (SMET) for overseeing the planned development of the mineral resources and their exploration in the state.
It also gave its concurrence to create 1,007 posts in the school education department and regularisation of the services of non-teaching staff under the Samagra Shiksha Abhiyaan against these posts.
The Punjab Community Service Guidelines 2025 also got the Cabinet’s nod.
It would bring uniformity across district courts for effective implementation of the three new criminal laws where sentence of community service is passed under Section 23(2) of BNSS 2023, or Section 18(1)(c) of the Juvenile Justice Act 2015 or other laws throughout the country.
In order to strengthen police stations to ensure effective investigations and address emerging challenges, particularly in drug cases and other organised crimes, the Cabinet gave its nod for the creation of 1,600 new posts of assistant sub-inspector, sub-inspector and inspector in the district cadre of the Punjab Police.
The Cabinet also approved an amendment to the Punjab Town Improvement Act, 1922, to enable urban local bodies to utilise funds of the Improvement Trusts through the Municipal Development Fund, which was established by the state government to undertake urban infrastructure works for which allocation is received from the state budget every year. PTI CHS NSD NSD
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