Punjab govt gives jobs to kin of 11 farmers who died during protests

CHANDIGHARH, (PTI): The kin of 11 farmers who lost their lives during the stir against the Centre’s farm laws were given appointment letters for government jobs in Punjab on Saturday.

Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi and Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Randeep Singh Nabha handed over the letters of appointment as clerk to the next of kin of the deceased farmers, according to an official release here.

Calling farmers the backbone of the state’s economic structure, the chief minister said, ”The state government will always undertake every possible step to ensure the welfare of the victim families.” The state government has already given jobs to the kin of the 157 deceased farmers.

The state government had earlier announced Rs 5 lakh as financial aid and a job for one member of each of the deceased farmers’ families.

Farmers had claimed the death of more than 700 peasants from Punjab, Haryana, and other states during the agitation against the now-repealed farm laws. (PTI)