Perturbed over the growing number of suicides among farmers, the Punjab Cabinet on Tuesday decided to cut away the ‘kurki’ clause from the Cooperative Societies Act, 1961 -under which mortgaged land is auctioned to recover loans.
The decision assumes significance as the removal of the clause more than 50 years after the Act came into being would prevent the sale of land for recovery of arrears.
Notably, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has all along been reiterating his commitment to rescue the State’s beleaguered farming community from the debt burden by waiving off their loans and putting an end to ‘kurki’.
The Cabinet approved the proposal to abolish Section 67-A of the Punjab Cooperative Societies Act, 1961, which provides for ‘kurki’ to recover loans as arrears of land revenue.
In another significant decision to enlarge the scope of State agriculture, the Cabinet has given its go ahead to rename it as the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare. Similarly, the Department of Irrigation has been rechristened as the Department of Water Resources to impart greater focus on issues related to water and its optimal and sustainable use.
Besides, to reform the State’s agriculture sector, the Cabinet has also okayed the super-session of the existing nominated Market Committees.
As per the Cabinet decision, Section 12 of the Punjab Agricultural Produce Market Act, 1961, will be amended to appoint administrators, who shall perform the official duties and exercise powers of the Market Committees for a period of one year or till the nomination of Market Committees.
Cabinet has also decided to form a cabinet sub-committee to review the Agriculture Debt Reconciliation Act, 2016, to make it effective, broad-based and farmer-friendly.
Spokesperson said that the Council of #ministers felt that the Act, formulated in 2016, was not favourable to the farmers and needed a review.
The Congress has been claiming that the agriculture sector in the state has been reeling under “mismanagement legacy”, which its newly elected government has inherited.
Punjab Govt approves financial aid to women acid attack victims
The Cabinet also decided to apply the balm of Rs 8,000 monthly honorarium on acid attack victims of the state.
Under the proposed ‘The Punjab Financial Assistance to Acid Victims Scheme-2017’, women victims of acid attacks with more than 40 percent burns, will be provided Rs 8,000 per month per head aid by the state’s Social Security and Development of Women and Children Department.
The proposal will enable the victims or their family members or relatives to apply for the aid to the District Social Security Officer of the concerned district. The sanctioning authority will be a District level Committee under the chairmanship of Deputy Commissioner, and the victim will receive the payment directly in her bank account.
Shagun scheme renamed Ashirwad
Besides approving the change of name of erstwhile SAD-BJP government’s ambitious ‘Shagun Scheme’ to ‘Ashirwad Scheme, the Cabinet has also decided to make the online payment to the beneficiaries, directly into their bank accounts.
Earlier, the amount was paid through the Sarpanches under the scheme, that provides financial assistance of Rs 15,000 to poor families for the wedding of a daughter.
Cabinet Sub-Committee formed for new compensation policy for soldiers, cops, mishap victims
The Cabinet also gave its go-ahead for a new compensation policy to be formulated for the victims of accidents and fire, as well as the martyrs from the Army, Paramilitary forces and the Punjab Police.
