Expressing serious concern over drought-like situation prevailing in Punjab in view of poor monsoons, Congress Deputy leader in lok Sabha and Amritsar MP Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday asked the state government to draw up a contingency plan to save the agriculture.
The former Chief Minister suggested that the government should order a special girdawri to assess the losses to the farmers so that they can be adequately compensated.
“It is high time that the state government introduce crop insurance scheme which has been pending for a long time and has long been promised by the Akalis,” said Capt Amarinder.
Senior Congress leader pointed out that half of July was over and still there were no rains except of mild showers here or there. “Huge area across the state, particularly along the border belts like Amritsar and other areas, is facing the worst drought conditions and it is the responsibility of the government to draw up a plan to provide relief,” he added.
Capt Amarinder observed that the state government with a “friendly government” at the Centre should have no problem in getting a proper contingency plan approved and funded on time.
“Earlier they (the Akalis) had the standard excuse of accusing the Centre of non-cooperation but now with the NDA in power there, of which they are a constituent party, they must not have any problem,” he said.
He said that this was the high time for the state government to draw up a contingency plan so that the farmers are compensated on time. “I don’t understand what prevents the state government from taking timely initiative as it is wasting the precious time,” he said adding, “The sooner the government does it the better it would be for the farmers. Otherwise it will be too late”.