Asserting his continued support to the farmers agitating against the Centre’s three black farm laws, Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Friday launched Rs 520 crore debt relief scheme for 2.85 lakh farm labourers and landless farmers, in a befitting tribute to former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s pro-poor vision of the former Prime Minister.
“I hope and wish a day will come when India will be free from poverty, which Rajiv Gandhi dreamed about,” said the Chief Minister, dedicating the important scheme to the State on the 77th birth anniversary of his close friend.
The Chief Minister said that the State Government had decided to waive off loans amounting to Rs 520 crores of farm labour and landless farmers with respect to the principal amount against their cooperative loans as on July 31, 2017, and simple interest at the rate of seven percent per annum on the said amount till March 6, 2019. Notably, the State Government had earlier waived off Rs 4,700 crore worth of loans (up to Rs two lakh of crop loan each) for 5.85 lakh small and marginal farmers.
Declaring that his “heart is with the farmers who are protesting at the Delhi borders”, the Chief Minister made it clear that he does not agree with the stand taken by the Central Government, who are not listening to the farmers. “We have amended the Constitution 127 times, so why are we not doing it now? Why is the Government of India standing on prestige on the issue of the Farm Laws,” he asked, adding that he had categorically urged the Prime Minister and the Union Home Minister to repeal the legislations.”
Pointing out that around 400 farmers had died, he said that the State Government was giving Rs five lakh to the families of the state’s farmers who had lost their jobs. In addition, they were being given jobs, and 200 had already got their appointment letters, he said, adding that the Centre needs to protect the MSP and the market system as well as the age-old relationship between the farmers and the arhtiyas in the interest of the nation.
In a token gesture to launch the scheme, the Chief Minister personally handed over cheques to 21 farm labourers and landless labourers, with Ministers and MLAs set to disburse the cheques to all others over the next few days.