NDMC has asked Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal for immediate release of compensation of Rs 50,000 per hectare for farmers of Delhi who have suffered losses due to crop damage caused by unseasonal rains.
New Delhi Municipal Corporation's Standing Committee's Chairman Mohan Bhardwaj in a letter to Kejriwal has asked the state government to pay the compensation on the basis of "Rs 50,000 per hectare or Rs 20,000 per acre", as was declared by him on April 12.
In a statement released by the NDMC today, Bhardwaj claimed the compensation was announced by the chief minister, so it "tantamounts to order".
"Hence, the authorities concerned have no choice but to make payment of compensation. It is very simple to calculate the due compensation. The patwari of a village may be asked to prepare girdawari, compensation," he said.
He said the compensation amount, as was announced by the chief minister, should not be constrained within the parameters fixed by the central government as the policy announced by the Kejriwal is for the farmers of Delhi state, which is totally independent from the Centre's policy.
Farmers have many expenses to meet such as for marriages of their daughters and other social functions, besides education-related expenditure on their wards. Due to destruction of crops because of unseasonal rains, they have become near pauper, he said.
Bhardwaj said the farmers keep their self-respect above all and that is the main reason for farmers' suicides as "they don't want to be labelled as a person who cannot be a man of his words".
"Many farmers are facing acute difficulties in meeting their social and family commitments. Hence, they require promised financial relief as declared by the chief minister, immediately," Bhardwaj said.
