By Arvinder Sekhon, Kapurthala 12 September 2025
In the wake of the recent devastating floods across Punjab, farmers from the Kapurthala belt have renewed their demand for a comprehensive crop insurance policy. For them, the losses of this year are not just about submerged paddy fields but also about the deepening cycle of uncertainty in farming. With climate change triggering unpredictable weather and the state government’s relief framework proving grossly inadequate, the cry from Punjab’s rural heartlands is loud and clear: token compensation is not enough—there must be structural protection.
A Decade of Weather Shocks
Punjab’s farming backbone has endured repeated blows from climate shocks. In March 2022, an unexpected spike in temperature scorched wheat crops just days before harvest, shrinking yields drastically. Before that, hailstorms and unseasonal rains had repeatedly battered mustard, maize, and vegetables. Now, floods have washed away standing paddy.
For the small and marginal farmers of Kapurthala—where landholdings are shrinking, and input costs are rising—the picture is grim. Even minor climate fluctuations devastate entire harvests, leaving them with little resilience. A reliable support mechanism like crop insurance, they argue, is no longer optional—it is essential.
Ground Voices from Kapurthala Jalandhar Villages
In Bhalojala village, Gurmeet Singh, a mid-sized farmer with 9 acres, stood beside his waterlogged field and said:
“The government announced ₹20,000 per acre. But my actual loss is ₹65,000–₹70,000 per acre once you count destroyed crops, delay in replanting, and soil repair. This gap means debt is my only option. If there had been proper crop insurance, I would at least recover.”
Nearby, in Sultanpur Dogran, farmer activist Kuldeep Singh Sandhu spoke with frustration:
“Sometimes it is fire, sometimes untimely rain, sometimes flood. We live under constant threat. The Centre talks of insurance, but it excludes most of us. Why should we pay premiums when disasters are guaranteed? The state must pay the premium. Otherwise, farmers will continue sinking.”
In Kanjli, Harbhajan Kaur, who runs her family’s 6-acre farm after her husband’s illness, pointed to her collapsed cattle shed:
“It is not just crops. Two buffaloes died in the flood. The government has no proper compensation. For animals alone, they should give at least ₹1 lakh each. Otherwise, who will rebuild a farmer’s livelihood?”
Relief Announcements vs. Ground Realities
The Punjab government has announced ₹20,000 per acre for crop damage, but on-ground estimates show actual damages crossing ₹60,000–₹70,000 per acre. Farmers argue this mismatch exposes the state’s relief optics: announcements are made quickly, but delivery is partial and delayed, and there is no mechanism to reflect the true cost of loss.
The July–August 2025 floods submerged more than 1,400 villages across Punjab, with Kapurthala among the worst-hit. Vast stretches of farmland lie under layers of silt, making even the next season’s sowing uncertain. Farmers fear long-term soil fertility loss, which is rarely compensated.
Experts and Institutions Call for Insurance
Even religious and institutional voices have joined the chorus. SGPC members have criticized the government for failing to safeguard rural livelihoods. They argue that while Punjab’s farmers face recurrent disasters—floods, droughts, fires—there is still no long-term mechanism.
As one senior SGPC functionary put it:
“Every calamity leaves farmers begging for compensation. This is no dignity. Insurance must be made mandatory, with the premium paid by the state. Relief should not be left to political announcements.”
Political Accountability
Political leaders, too, have acknowledged the demand, but farmers say acknowledgment without reform is lip service. The Centre’s Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) has come under fire for being block-level, not farm-level. Compensation is triggered only if 70–80% of a block is affected, leaving thousands of genuinely affected farmers without cover.
Farmers from Kapurthala call this a deliberate design to protect insurance companies, not cultivators.
The Punjab government, meanwhile, is facing increasing heat. Farmers’ unions accuse it of hiding behind Centre’s schemes while failing to launch a state-level safety net. Critics point out that despite decades of knowing Punjab’s vulnerability—be it the 1988 floods, the 1993 floods, or the 2023 dam-induced flooding—the state has not built a permanent disaster-resilience framework.
The Road Ahead
Floods in 2025 have revived a painful truth: Punjab’s agriculture is at breaking point. Compensation packages are no longer enough to restore faith or livelihood. What is needed is:
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Universal Crop Insurance – Covering every acre, with the government paying premiums.
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Livestock & House Damage Insurance – To ensure comprehensive protection.
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Realistic Compensation Rates – ₹50,000 per acre minimum for crops, and ₹1 lakh per animal lost.
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Independent Damage Assessment Committees – To end inflated or politically influenced surveys.
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Long-Term Climate Adaptation Plans – Drainage systems, embankments, and soil recovery programs.
Until then, farmers of Punjab—whether in Kapurthala or elsewhere—remain one flood away from financial ruin.
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