National food bowl in peril as 4 lakh acres submerged in Punjab

With the India’s agrarian heartland passing from unprecedented times, Punjab Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian has urged Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for an immediate relief and massive financial package to address the devastating impact of floods, besides, demanding enhanced compensation to support affected farmers after over four lakh acres of state’s agricultural land submerged, threatening both state and national food security.

Khudian, who had accompanied Union Agriculture Minister Chouhan to flood-affected areas in Amritsar, Gurdaspur, and Kapurthala districts on Thursday, said that standing crops at over 4 lakh acres of farmland have been inundated according to preliminary assessments.

Advertisement

With paddy fields being the worst affected, just weeks before harvesting season, he said that this devastation has resulted in significant losses for farmers and the state’s agricultural economy. The impact on the rural economy is further exacerbated by substantial damage to livestock.

“Punjab’s contribution to the nation’s food security cannot be overlooked,” said Khudian, while adding that as an agrarian state, Punjab plays a pivotal role in contributing to the central food pool. However, the recent floods have brought unprecedented devastation to crops, agricultural infrastructure, and the rural economy.

Expressing concern over the current compensation for flood victims, the Punjab Agriculture Minister said that crop damage compensation stands at Rs 6,800 per acre, which is insufficient considering the extent of losses incurred by farmers. He urged the Central Government to increase this compensation to at least Rs 50,000 per acre.

Khudian has also demanded the immediate release of Rs 8,000 crore of the Rural Development Fund (RDF) and Market Development Fund (MDF), stalled by the Centre Government. Apart from this, Punjab requires a special package to mitigate the impact of the floods and support the state’s economy, he affirmed.