Close X
Saturday, November 2, 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

Sushma Swaraj Exposes Concocted Story Of 'Kidnapped' Indian In Serbia

Sushma Swaraj Exposes Concocted Story Of 'Kidnapped' Indian In Serbia
External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Thursday exposed a concocted story of an Indian "kidnapped" in the central European nation of Serbia, saying it was a stage-managed act.

Sushma Swaraj Exposes Concocted Story Of 'Kidnapped' Indian In Serbia

Indra Nooyi, Fareed Zakaria Among Ellis Island Honor Recipients

PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi and well-known journalist-author Fareed Zakaria are among six Indian-Americans named for this years Ellis Island Medals of Honor for accomplishments in their respective fields.

Indra Nooyi, Fareed Zakaria Among Ellis Island Honor Recipients

Officials remove 'Aam Aadmi' words from Delhi government schemes, cover Kejriwal's photos too

Ahead of the April 23 municipal elections in the national capital, the Delhi Election Commission directed that the government in the capital remove the words "Aam" from all forms of display of its schemes. 

Officials remove 'Aam Aadmi' words from Delhi government schemes, cover Kejriwal's photos too

Yogi's Surprise Guests: Mulayam's Daughter-in-Law, BSP Leader

Aparna Yadav, who unsuccessfully contested the Assembly election from the Lucknow Cantt seat, is Mulayam's younger daughter-in-law.

Yogi's Surprise Guests: Mulayam's Daughter-in-Law, BSP Leader

UP Women Cops Take Selfies With Gang-Raped Woman Who Was Made To Drink Acid

UP Women Cops Take Selfies With Gang-Raped Woman Who Was Made To Drink Acid
A 45-year-old woman was allegedly forced to drink acid on a train, but her misery did not end there as three women constables of the Uttar Pradesh police then took selfies with the victim, which went viral.

UP Women Cops Take Selfies With Gang-Raped Woman Who Was Made To Drink Acid

I Prayed For Death, Says Indian Soldier Who Strayed Into Pak

I Prayed For Death, Says Indian Soldier Who Strayed Into Pak
The Indian soldier who was returned by Pakistan after four months in captivity said he was so fed up with torture by Pakistanis that he often prayed for death while in their custody.

I Prayed For Death, Says Indian Soldier Who Strayed Into Pak