Chandigarh, Oct. 2 -- Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday announced that the state government would release compensation for farmers by Diwali for losses incurred due to damage to crops during the recent heavy rain and floods. Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh, Saini said that the government had opened its e-Kshatipurti portal till September 15 to register damage to crops. "A total of 5.37 lakh farmers from 6,397 villages registered details of 31 lakh acres of affected farmland. In areas where crops have been damaged due to waterlogging, farmers will receive compensation after due verification up to Rs.15,000/acre," he said, adding that to assess crop losses a special girdawari is underway across the state. The chief minister said Rs.4.72 crore has been transferred directly into the bank accounts of 2,386 people as compensation on Wednesday for loss of houses, household goods, and livestock. Saini announced to defer electricity bill payments of tubewell connections till December 2025, even as the farm power bills that were due for payment by July 2025 will now be paid from January 2026 without any extra charges. Saini announced the suspension of crop loan recovery in villages subject to conditions about the percentage of crop damage. He said that in villages where more than 50% of crops have been damaged, and where farmers in debt have suffered crop losses 33% percent or more, the recovery of kharif season crop loans taken from cooperative societies has been deferred. Such farmers will also be provided fresh crop loans for the upcoming rabi season. He said till September 30, a total of 5 lakh metric tonnes of paddy had arrived in mandis, out of which 3.58 lakh metric tonnes have been procured. "Around Rs.109 crore paddy procurement MSP has already been transferred to farmers' accounts," he said. The chief minister said that within six days of launching the Lado Lakshmi mobile app, 1,71,946 women and girls have registered. "I urge all sisters and daughters to register soon. The first instalment under this scheme will be credited on November 1," he said. Taking a dig at the opposition, Saini said that the Congress speaks about women's welfare only for political gains. He said the Haryana government, as promised in its Sankalp Patra, has allocated Rs.5,000 crore in the first budget to provide Rs.2,100 a month to women. "The Congress speaks about women's welfare only for political gains, while in reality their state governments provide no tangible benefits to women," he said....