Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday said the Congress Government had defrauded Punjab farmers and betrayed their trust by giving them a Rs 167 crore crop loan waiver after promising a comprehensive Rs 90,000 crore relief.
In a statement here, the SAD president said what was shocking that 70 per cent of small and marginal farmers of the five districts of Malwa, where the bogus scheme was rolled out, had been made ineligible for the same. “The entire exercise is riddled with favouritism with Congress legislators and Halqa incharges making the lists at their residences which kept most genuine beneficiaries out of its purview,” he said.
Speaking about the paltry waiver, Sukhbir said this too had been achieved by taxing farmers. He said the Government had imposed one per cent cess on wheat and paddy besides increasing the market fee.
"A loan has been taken by pledging this tax income", said he. Sukhbir further said this besides weakening State institutions had also made foodgrains in Punjab more expensive than their counterparts in neighbouring States. “This is in stark contrast to the SAD-BJP Government headed by Parkash Singh Badal which waived tubewell bills worth Rs 6,000 crore per annum for ten years resulting in a Rs 60,000 crore waiver. Each farmer got a relief of more than Rs 60,000 per year,” added he.
He said the SAD would approach Punjab Governor VP Singh Badnore shortly and enjoin him to direct the Government to implement the comprehensive waiver promised by it.