Slamming his predecessor Capt Amarinder Singh for allegedly issuing “baseless statements on sensitive issues” concerning the farmers of the State, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday asked him to refrain from “politicising” each and every issue for his own vested interests.
Badal said that before issuing any statement, the Opposition leaders must remember that the farmers were facing a number of problems due to the nature’s fury in form of unseasonal rain and hailstorm.
He said that it was unfortunate that instead of expressing solidarity with the farmers in this hour of crisis, Capt Amarinder was “playing dirty politics” over this issue by irrelevantly issuing unwarranted and unjustified statements.
Badal said that people and Governments were helpless before natural disasters and the damage caused in Nepal due to earthquake was an example of it. “On its part, the State Government has ensured that every single grain is procured in a smooth and hassle free manner from the farmers…It is a well-known fact that after the State Government had raised the issue of loss suffered by farmers, the NDA Government had extended a helping hand by increasing the amount of relief besides bearing the value cut in MSP due to damage in crop,” said Badal.
However, Badal added that instead of bailing out the farmers from this grave crisis, the Congress leaders have indulged in politicking for just scoring brownie points before the media.
Referring to the power scenario in the State, he said that due to the concerted efforts of the State Government, Punjab was today a power sufficient State.
“Massive steps have been taken to augment power generation in the State, which has produced desired effects,” he said.
Badal said that still the State Government was tapping the potential of State for harnessing solar and other renewable sources of energy to increase the generation of power in the State.
On the issue of farm suicides, the Chief Minister, while expressing concern over the matter, said that till now the State Government had released about Rs99 crore for the next of kin of farmers committing suicide.
Badal also said that the State Government has also enhanced the amount of compensation given to such families from Rstwo lakh to Rsthree lakh. He assailed the Congress party for allegedly accentuating the woes of common man during long spell of its misrule.
“It is a fact that most of the Congress Prime Ministers had not visited any village during their entire term then how could anybody expect that they would solve the problems of villagers”, asked the CM.