After Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh waiving off farmer loans in the wake of large scale protests, Punjab followed suit on Monday with Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh announcing a waiver of the entire crop loan for small and marginal farmers in the state. The decision is based on the interim report of the expert group, headed by well-known economist T Haque.
The Congress government led by Chief Minister Amarinder Singh will present its maiden budget tomorrow.
The government also said it will raise the compensation to these families from Rs3 lakh to Rs5 lakh.
Taking the opposition head-on in the state Assembly over the issue of the involvement of state minister Rana Gurjit Singh in the auction of sand mines, he said that without pre- judging the outcome, his government has decided for a judicial enquiry so that truth should prevail.
After Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, Punjab announced a loan waiver for farmers but centre refused to do the same.
Addressing the farmer loans raised from non-institutional resources, the government has chose to review the Punjab Settlement of Agriculture Indebtedness Act.
He also proposed that a five-member committee constituted by the Speaker could visit families of the suicide victims.
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The chief minister appealed to all well-off farmers in the state to give up their power subsidy willingly, in order to support the debt-ridden farmers.
He cited studies pointing that among the state's 18.5 lakh farming families, about 65 per cent were small and marginal farmers, 70 per cent of whom have access to institutional finance.
Amarinder announced his decision to immediately give up the subsidy at his own farms to set a personal example, and appealed to his colleagues to do the same.
The measures aimed at creation of wealth in agriculture, industry and service sectors which generate more employment would receive greater attention, he said.
Announcing the establishment of a Paddy Straw Challenge Fund to stop the practice of crop residue burning by the farmers, the Chief Minister informed the House that he had already written to the Prime Minister to allow a bonus of Rs.100 per quintal to all those farmers who incorporate the paddy straw in the soil instead of burning it, as the farmers need to be incentivized in this regard.
The Council also approved the setting up of a dedicated horticulture university to promote crop diversification in the state, to help in bringing changes in cropping patterns to include the planting of vegetables, fruits, herbs, aromatic and medicinal herbs, fibre and tuber crops, sericulture, fodder crops and floriculture, the spokesman said.
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