Cabinet also clears ‘Jisda Khet, Usdi Ret’ scheme to let farmers extract sand from fields

The Punjab Cabinet on Monday approved a compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre for farmers whose crops were damaged in the recent floods across the state.

The state government also gave its nod to the Jisda Khet, Usdi Ret scheme, which will allow farmers to extract and sell sand that has been deposited on their fields by floodwaters. Farmers in several affected districts had raised concerns over sand accumulation making land unfit for sowing.

The Cabinet meeting was chaired by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann from a hospital in Mohali, where he was undergoing treatment for exhaustion and low heart rate. “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,” Mann said in a video message.

According to official estimates, crops on 1.76 lakh hectares have been damaged in the floods. Mann said the state will hand over compensation cheques directly to farmers, adding that “until now, this is the maximum compensation to be given by any state in the country.”

The Cabinet also approved financial aid of Rs 4 lakh for families who lost members in the floods and announced a survey of damaged houses for further assistance. The repayment period of farm loans from cooperative societies and state agriculture banks has been extended by six months, with no instalments or interest to be charged during this period.

The government will additionally provide support for the loss of cattle, goats and poultry, and assess damage to public infrastructure including schools, colleges and electricity networks. Mann said the Aam Aadmi Party government “stands by the people of Punjab in this hour of crisis.”