September 8, 2025
Parteek Singh Mahal
In a significant relief for flood-affected residents, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced a comprehensive package on Monday. The plan includes a compensation of ₹20,000 per acre for farmers whose crops were damaged, an ex-gratia payment of ₹4 lakh for loss of life, and a “Jisda Khet Usdi Ret” (the sand belongs to the farmer) policy allowing landowners to sell sand deposited on their fields by floodwaters.
The Chief Minister made the announcement via a live broadcast from a private hospital in Mohali, where he has been recovering since September 5 due to exhaustion and a low heart rate.
Mann stated that the ₹20,000 per acre compensation is the highest ever provided by any government in the country. This comes after floods over the past three weeks destroyed standing crops on 4.30 lakh acres of land in Punjab. While disaster management rules typically allow only ₹6,800 per acre, the AAP government’s cabinet increased its additional contribution to ₹13,200 per acre, bringing the total to the announced amount. The “Jisda Khet Usdi Ret” policy will allow farmers to sell the sand without a permit until November 15.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to visit Punjab and Himachal Pradesh on Tuesday, September 9, to review the flood and landslide situation, which has claimed at least 48 lives.
Modi will first travel to Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, where he will chair a high-level meeting with officials. Later in the afternoon, he will conduct an aerial survey of flood-hit areas in Punjab, arriving in Gurdaspur around 4:15 p.m. There, he will meet with senior officials, affected families, and rescue personnel to assess the situation.
According to officials, the Prime Minister’s direct review aims to closely monitor ongoing relief and rehabilitation efforts in both states.
Meanwhile, Punjab Minister and Aam Aadmi Party chief Aman Arora has appealed to Modi to announce a relief package of at least ₹20,000 crore for the flood-ravaged state during his visit.
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