Close X
Friday, November 1, 2024
ADVT 
India

Amarinder Singh Announces Total Waiver On Crop Loans For Small, Marginal Farmers

Darpan News Desk IANS, 19 Jun, 2017 12:12 PM
  • Amarinder Singh Announces Total Waiver On Crop Loans For Small, Marginal Farmers
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Monday announced total waiver of entire crop loans for small and marginal farmers in Punjab.
 
The loan waiver will for up to Rs 2 lakh for small and marginal farmers (up to 5 acres) and a flat Rs 2 lakh relief for all other marginal farmers, irrespective of their loan amount, thus paving the way for eventual total waiver of agricultural debts to implement another major poll promise of the ruling party.
 
Making the announcements during his speech in the Punjab assembly, the Chief Minister said the move would benefit a total of 10.25 lakh farmers of the state's 18.5 lakh farming families, including 8.75 lakh farmers having land up to 5 acres. 
 
"The initiative would provide double the relief announced by the states of Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra," Amarinder pointed out.
 
The decision is based on the interim report of an expert group, headed by eminent economist Dr T. Haque, which was tasked with suggesting ways and means to help the state's distressed farming community.
 
 
Making it clear that his government stood by its commitment to waive off the crop loans of the farmers, Amarinder said his government had also additionally decided to take over the outstanding crop loan from institutional sources of all the families of farmers who committed suicide in the state.
 
It has also decided to raise the ex-gratia for families of farmers committing suicide to Rs 5 lakh from the existing Rs 3 lakh. 
 
For debt relief to farmers for loans raised from non-institutional resources, the government has decided to review the 'Punjab Settlement of Agriculture Indebtedness Act' to provide the desired relief to the farmers through mutually acceptable debt reconciliation and settlement, which shall be statutorily binding on both the parties, the lender and the borrower.
 
"The government has already constituted a Cabinet Sub Committee to review this Act," Amarinder added.
 
The Chief Minister proposed that the Speaker may constitute a 5-member committee of the Vidhan Sabha to visit families of the suicide victims, ascertain the reasons for suicides and suggest further steps to be taken to check the menace.
 
He also told the assembly that his government had already decided to repeal Section 67 A of the Punjab Cooperative Societies Act, 1961, which provides for auction (kurki) of farmers' land.
 
 
Also asserting that his government's is committed to provide free power to farmers, he however, appealed to all big and well-to-do farmers of the state to give up power subsidy voluntarily.
 
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.

MORE India ARTICLES

Capt Amarinder Singh Meets PM Modi, Seeks Nod To Sell Power To Pakistan, Nepal

Capt Amarinder Singh Meets PM Modi, Seeks Nod To Sell Power To Pakistan, Nepal
Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Thursday sought Prime Minister Narendra Modi's intervention to allow the Punjab government to sell surplus power to Pakistan or Nepal in the financial interest of the cash-strapped state.

Capt Amarinder Singh Meets PM Modi, Seeks Nod To Sell Power To Pakistan, Nepal

Rahul Gandhi Unfit To Lead: Jolt For Congress, Barkha Singh Quits Party Post, Blames Rahul, Maken

Rahul Gandhi Unfit To Lead: Jolt For Congress, Barkha Singh Quits Party Post, Blames Rahul, Maken
In another setback to the Delhi Congress with the civic polls due on Sunday, its women wing chief Barkha Singh quit the post, and hit out at Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi and the party's Delhi unit chief Ajay Maken.

Rahul Gandhi Unfit To Lead: Jolt For Congress, Barkha Singh Quits Party Post, Blames Rahul, Maken

SEE PICS: Harjit Singh Sajjan At Harmandar Sahib, Gets Cold Shoulder From Punjab Government

SEE PICS: Harjit Singh Sajjan At Harmandar Sahib, Gets Cold Shoulder From Punjab Government
No Punjab minister or senior state government official either welcomed Sajjan to his native state or accompanied him on his visits to various places, including to the Harmandar Sahib (Golden Temple) or to his native village Bombeli in Hoshiarpur district

SEE PICS: Harjit Singh Sajjan At Harmandar Sahib, Gets Cold Shoulder From Punjab Government

Capt Amarinder-led Punjab Government Scraps Khalsa University Act

Capt Amarinder-led Punjab Government Scraps Khalsa University Act
The Punjab government has decided to scrap the controversial Khalsa University Act, 2016, "to save the Khalsa College from losing its heritage status by falling prey to privatisation".

Capt Amarinder-led Punjab Government Scraps Khalsa University Act

Capt Amarinder Singh Orders Crackdown On Sex Determination Centres

Capt Amarinder Singh Orders Crackdown On Sex Determination Centres
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh today ordered a crackdown on all sex determination centres alleged to be running in the state.

Capt Amarinder Singh Orders Crackdown On Sex Determination Centres

45 People Killed As Private Bus Falls Into River In Shimla District

45 People Killed As Private Bus Falls Into River In Shimla District
The accident took place on the border of Sirmaur district, around 150 km from Shimla.

45 People Killed As Private Bus Falls Into River In Shimla District