Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has ordered a comprehensive crop loss assessment and pledged compensation for farmers impacted by recent adverse weather conditions, demonstrating the government's commitment to agricultural support and farmer welfare.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Monday said his government has ordered a crop loss assessment to assess damage caused by inclement weather, asserting that affected farmers will be given compensation.
Mann was speaking to reporters while presenting a four-year report card of the power department.
Replying to a question on crop damage in many parts of the state caused by rains and hailstorms, the chief minister said, "We have given orders for 'girdawari' and after conducting it, whoever suffered crop damage will be given compensation."
On Sunday, farmers had demanded compensation for crop damage caused by rain and hailstorms in various parts of the state.
Farmers have reported extensive crop damage at various locations, including Amritsar, Bathinda, Muktsar, Hoshiarpur, Tarn Taran and Fatehgarh Sahib due to rains and hailstorms.
The farmers had also demanded that the state government conduct a crop loss assessment in affected districts to award compensation to them.
Replying to a question on a bill against sacrilege of religious texts, Mann said the state government has convened a special session of the Vidhan Sabha on April 13 to amend the Jagat Jot Sri Guru Granth Sahib Satkar Act, 2008.
"A special session has been called on April 13 and we will bring a bill in that session," Mann said.
Last month, Mann had asserted a zero-tolerance stance, saying no one guilty of 'beadbi' (sacrilege) would be spared.
On sidelined AAP leader Raghav Chadha's response to criticism that he did not raise Punjab's concerns in Parliament, Mann said what he is saying now has no meaning, asserting that he went against the party whip.
"What he says now does not hold any relevance," he said.
Taking a swipe at Chadha for his remark of 'Kyunki mai ghayal hoon isiliye ghatak hoon' (I am wounded, therefore I am dangerous), Mann dubbed it a dialogue, and said 'Ghayal' and 'Ghatak' are two movies.
Chadha on Sunday shared a video showing his interventions on key issues affecting the state.
Mann had earlier slammed Chadha and said he believes he is "compromised".
To a question on arrests in the Chandigarh bomb blast incident, Mann said the Punjab Police has a track record of solving big cases within 24 hours.
He slammed the opposition parties for criticising him over the recent blast incident outside the Punjab BJP office in Chandigarh.
Replying to a question about shifting the entire police staff from a police station in Bathinda after a 'Sarpanch' claimed inaction in drug-related matters, Mann said the cops have been shifted, and an inquiry into the matter is ongoing.
He said his government has a zero-tolerance policy against drugs.