Punjab Revenue and Information and Public Relations Minister Bikram Singh Majithia on Sunday said that the state government is committed for overall growth of farmers.
“Punjab’s economy is based on agriculture and without its growth, the state cannot grow. Water is a big need for the farmers and keeping in view their need, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal has decided to scrap the Satluj-Yamuna link canal project, which in itself is a historic decision,” said Majithia while speaking to media persons after distributing tube well connections to hundreds of farmers.
He said that Delhi Chief Minster Arvind Kejriwal has backstabbed the farmers of Punjab over his double-stand on SYl issue.
Taking an aim at Kejriwal, Majithia said that some people are habitual of being backstabbers because they claim to be pro Punjab when they visit the State and oppose it on reaching Delhi.
He said that farming is no more a profitable occupation because the farmers are not paid proper rates of their crops.
He reiterated that a special package for farmers should be given and the Swaminathan Commission report submitted in 2006 should be implemented.
Showing his concern for the increase debt on farmers, Majithia said that for making the farmers debt free, the Punjab government would soon take firm steps which includes that no-one would be able to take possession of the farmer’s land.
He also thanked Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Badal for allotting 1.25 lakh tubewell connections to the farmers saying that the Punjab government would provide more such facilities to the farmers.
He said that Punjab is the first state which provided free electricity to farmers for their tube wells.