Chandigarh, Nov 8 (IANS): Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Monday announced to increase the crop compensation from Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000 and increase the compensation slab below this amount by 25 per cent.

He made these announcements at the launch of a modern Cooperative Sugar Mill in Karnal, built at an outlay of Rs 263 crore.

The Chief Minister said the state government is giving the highest crop compensation across the country and called upon the farmers to get their crop insured.

Two days ago, the government announced that the farmer possessing two acres will not have to pay crop insurance premium, while for the farmers possessing five acres, the government decided to pay half the premium.

Those having land more than five acres will have to get the crop insured themselves.

Khattar said the capacity of Karnal sugar mill has been increased and the farmers of Karnal and its surrounding areas will not have to take their sugarcane elsewhere because if required, the mill will run more.

He said that the rate of sugarcane in Haryana is the highest in the country and he assured the farmers that the rate of sugarcane would remain the highest.

The Chief Minister said the state has 11 cooperative sugar mills. The government is constantly making efforts to reduce the losses being faced by the mills. Power generation plants and ethanol plants are being set up in the mills.

"The government is investing Rs 660 crore in expanding the sugar mills. Gradually, power generation plants and ethanol plants will be set up in all cooperative sugar mills. This will increase the income of sugar mills and reduce losses," he added.