Taking cue from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's appeal of giving up lPG subsidy, Congress leader Sukhpal Khaira on Wednesday surrendered the facility of free power being supplied by State Government to farmers and asked the Chief Minister and other well off people to follow suit.
"I have decided to make the beginning of surrendering the facility of tube well power subsidy being provided to me and my family. I have taken this cue from the Prime Minister's appeal to economically well off citizens to give up their lPG subsidy, so that the poor and underprivileged can benefit," Khaira said in a letter written to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal here.
Describing it as "beginning of a statewide drive" to convince the entire creamy layer of agriculturists across Punjab to surrender free power connections, former MlA from Bholath also urged Badal family and Congress leaders to "shun" the subsidised power.
He claimed free electricity bill of subsidy being provided to about 15 lakh tube well consumers in Punjab has touched a whopping Rs 5,400 crore per annum.
"If calculated since 1997 the year when the subsidy was introduced, the state exchequer has suffered a colossal burden of more than Rs 45,000 crore till now. This is not only wrecking the financial position of the state but is endangering the sub-soil water table and the environment," he said.
Pointing out that a NASA study has revealed that there had been steep depletion in the water table of Punjab, he said, "if corrective measures are not taken timely, it could spell doom for the agrarian economy."
However, he added that since the farmers of the country are not getting remunerative prices for their crops, power subsidy is the need of the hour until some alternative economic breather is provided to them.
Khair said, "It is also a matter of record, that the farmers of Punjab are under a colossal debt of over Rs 51,000 crore, as per the latest NABARD report. This huge debt burden is forcing farmers and farm labourers to commit suicides in large numbers."
"Under these pitiable circumstances, I am of the view that all those farmers who can afford to forgo or surrender their power subsidy facility, will be doing a great service to the cause of agriculture, the economy of the state as well as help the water table improve," he said.
He urged farmers who have viable land holding should give up the subsidy facility, so that small and marginal farmers can benefit from this aid.
"I appeal all my party colleague farmers as well as all elected representatives from Sarpanches to MP's, to shun the said subsidy so that we can set the ball rolling for this noble cause," Khaira said.