Punjab Congress on Friday called upon Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to get Rs51,000 crore loan waiver for farmers from his “own” Narendra Modi Government or sit on dharna followed by indefinite fast in case the issue was not resolved.
Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Partap Singh Bajwa reminded Badal that Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had announced Rs70,000 crore package for the State’s farmers. “It is high time that the Modi Government too come out to the rescue of the harried farmers in this food bowl of the country by announcing loan waiver,” he said.
Bajwa said that he was ready to follow Badal in case he went on indefinite fast in Delhi to get relief for the farmers in the state as he had been selling dreams of liberal financial assistance in case the BJP formed the Government at the Centre. “What happened during the last 15 months is to the contrary,” he said.
PPCC chief opposed the move to dismantle the Food Corporation of India (FCI) that would directly hit the farmers. Besides, he demanded implementation of Swaminathan Committee recommendations on fixing
minimum support prices (MSP) of the farm produce ensuring 50 per cent profit over and above the cost of production.
“This is also the poll promise of the BJP as well as the Akali Dal. However, the Modi government backtracked from this promise within days,” he pointed.
Bajwa also demanded compensation of the cotton farmers in the state at the rate of Rs 25,000 per acre for the crop damage due to white fly. “The state government is responsible for the plight of the farmers in view of the substandard inputs including pesticide supplied to them,” he said.