Chandigarh, Oct 13 : The Punjab Cabinet, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, on Monday gave a nod for enhancing the compensation for crop loss to farmers up to Rs 20,000 per acre.

A decision to this effect was taken at the meeting of the Council of Ministers here. A spokesperson for the Chief Minister's Office said that to provide adequate relief to the affected persons for crop loss and house damage caused by natural calamities, the Cabinet also gave nod to ex-post facto approval regarding the revision of the rates of relief amount to be paid from the state Budget.

As the state has faced severe floods so the relief amount was increased to Rs 10,000 per acre for crop loss of 26-75 per cent, Rs 20,000 per acre for crop loss of 76-100 per cent, and Rs 40,000 per unit for partially damaged houses from the existing Rs 6,500.

Since the amount given from the SDRF (State Disaster Response Fund) by the government of India will not be increased, this additional compensation will be provided by the state government from its own treasury.

To support the functioning of interstate check posts, the Cabinet gave a go-ahead to amend the Punjab Minor Mineral Rules, 2013, to levy a fee on vehicles carrying processed or unprocessed minor minerals entering the state.

'This will help to cater to the operational cost being incurred by the department on interstate check posts. This will also help make the system of these check posts more robust and efficient, thereby helping in their maintenance and upkeep,' said the spokesperson.

To simplify and ease the process of determining the reserve price of the various sites of development authorities, the Cabinet also gave its consent to amend the policy to fix the reserve price of plots.

As per the amendment in the prevalent e-auction policy, the reserve price of the site will be fixed in accordance with the valuation of the three independent valuers empanelled in nationalised banks.

The reserve price once fixed for an auction will remain valid for the calendar year. The Cabinet also approved a policy for allotment of sites to cooperative societies for the construction of multi-storey flats under the Group Housing Scheme -- 2025.

This policy aims to boost the supply of affordable and planned housing in urban areas by facilitating cooperative housing societies. It provides a transparent, fair, and structured framework for the allotment of land, ensuring timely construction and development in line with the state's urban planning goals.

In view of the difficulties faced by promoters and to give relief to the public, the Cabinet gave its nod to a policy for the completion of mega housing projects falling under the jurisdiction of various development authorities.

Only one-time extension in implementation period for development and to complete the already approved projects shall be permitted from December 31 for a period of maximum up to five years on the request of the promoter at the rate of Rs 25,000 per acre per year.

The payment will be deposited upfront for the extension of the implementation period, so granted, and no extension in the implementation period will be permissible thereafter.

/IANS