North Delhi Municipal Corporation (North MCD) on Thursday demanded a compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre from the Delhi government for the farmers of the national Capital for damage caused to Rabi crops due to unseasonal rains in March.
Standing Committee chairperson of the Corporation Mohan Bhardwaj said: “Since there is no fixed formula of assessing the value of crop damage to farmers and therefore the farmers who have ‘girdwari’ under their name for two years, be given compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre. The agricultural labourers and farmers who have worked in fields and those who are farming on lease should also be given proper compensation.”
Bhardwaj added that Delhi Chief Minister has already made an announcement to give compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre and it should be implemented at the earliest.
The decision of the Delhi Cabinet to make the compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre is for farmers suffering from 70 per cent or more loss of crops and Rs 14,000 per acre is for the loss less than 70 per cent, which is against the Chief Minister’s earlier announcement.
The Corporation also feels that the announcement of disbursement of compensation from Friday is far away from reality as the survey for loss of crop has not been completed.
He said they would only distribute the compensation in one or two villages as a symbol.
Bhardwaj also criticised the Delhi government’s move to rename the earlier announced ‘Farmers Relief Scheme’ in the name of Gajender Singh who committed suicide during the recent AAP rally at Jantar Mantar.