By NewsGram Staff Writer

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal yesterday distributed the compensation cheques to the farmers who had suffered a crop loss due to recent unseasonal rains.

The cheque distribution process started from Bawana in Delhi in the presence of family members of late Gajendra Singh, a peasant from Rajasthan who had killed himself over the failure of his crop.

The Aam Aadmi Party leader also launched the Gajendra Singh Kisan Sahayata Yojana on the occasion. The scheme will cater to the needs of the peasants who have suffered such losses.

Under the scheme, all those farmers whose entire crop was destroyed would be paid Rs.20,000 per acre and peasants whose crop loss was assessed to be below 70 per cent would get a minimum compensation of Rs.14,000 per acre.

The scheme will also ensure that the benefit of the scheme will only reach out to the grieving farmers and the corporate entities owning land in Delhi will not get the benefit of this scheme.

Earlier, Delhi Cabinet had approved the name of the scheme and the formula for payment of compensation to the peasants on May 1.