Chandigarh, Sep 12 (NationPress) Punjab's Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced on Friday that the state government is committed to providing compensation to all individuals impacted by the floods within 45 days.

During a high-level meeting, the Chief Minister reiterated his recent pledge to offer the most substantial compensation in India—₹20,000 per acre—to farmers suffering from crop losses due to the flooding.

“This is the most significant compensation ever recorded in Punjab's history,” Mann stated. Previous administrations often delayed compensation for years, forcing distressed farmers to navigate bureaucratic hurdles.

Detailing the initiative, he mentioned that a special “girdawari” (crop damage assessment) would commence on September 13, with the entire evaluation process expected to conclude within 45 days.

Farmers will receive their compensation cheques directly, and officials from unaffected regions will be assigned to flood-impacted villages to expedite the assessment.

Officials will conduct thorough inspections in every village to document field conditions, ensuring that damages are reported and compensated, regardless of the crop type.

After assessments, farmers will have a week to contest any discrepancies in the reports.

Mann emphasized that the whole process will culminate within 45 days, with immediate distributions for villages where crops have been entirely destroyed.

Additionally, for homes that have sustained damage, the government will offer compensation: ₹120,000 for completely collapsed homes and ₹40,000 for those with partial damage. This marks a significant increase from the previous compensation of ₹6,800 for partial damage.

Livestock losses will also be compensated. For instance, a lost cow or buffalo will result in a payment of ₹37,500, while a goat lost in the floods will fetch ₹4,000. All other animals will also receive compensation according to established guidelines.

Compensation for housing and livestock losses is set to begin on September 15 and should also be finalized within 45 days.

The Chief Minister confirmed that 55 confirmed deaths have occurred due to the floods, with cheques issued to 42 families so far.

During the meeting, Mann also sought updates from Deputy Commissioners about the current situation following the unprecedented flooding experienced in the last four decades.

Moreover, the Chief Minister indicated plans to discuss with the Indian government the potential relaxation of norms concerning housing losses. He also instructed officials to organize medical camps in every village and to initiate fogging operations.