Cong to work out permanent solution for settling debt of farmers: Amarinder

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, June 12

Promising to release funds for the overall development of Patiala and other cities ignored by the SAD-BJP government for the paucity of funds, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) president Capt Amarinder Singh said proper planning to utilise funds was the need of the hour.

Addressing a meeting of party workers and leaders from Patiala urban and rural, he announced that the Congress would work out a permanent solution for settling the debt of farmers so that the problem was solved once for all and no farmer was forced to resort to desperate measures such as suicide.

Interacting with the party workers of Patiala district here late yesterday evening, Capt Amarinder said during his previous term between 2002 and 2007, he had waived debts worth about Rs 75,000 crore. He would solve the problem in a similar manner after the Congress forms government in the state.

“I know it is a difficult task, but I have taken it as a challenge because we can’t keep on watching our farmers killing themselves without doing anything,” he said.

“It is a tragedy that those who fed the entire nation are being left to die in debt and we need to do something,” he said.

The PPCC president agreed that the trade and industry had also suffered massive losses in Punjab in the past nine years and most of the industrial units were either shutting down or moving out. This, he said, had not only led to loss of employment but also massive loss of revenue as well.

“That is why I have thought of providing incentive and stimulus to the industry for revival,” he said.

On the employment front, Capt Amarinder said he had already announced to provide at least one job in each family so that every family in Punjab had a regular and reasonable monthly income to sustain itself.

“Like in my previous term, I had got mega projects with 2,000 jobs for each Rs 100 crore project, we will encourage investment by way of incentives to generate jobs in the state,” he said.

The former Chief Minister reiterated that all welfare schemes will be continued with enhanced allocations.

Besides, he said, the Shagun Scheme would be enhanced to Rs 51,000 and old-age, widow and handicapped pension would be enhanced to Rs 2,000 a month. These would be paid on time and not unlike now under Akalis, when the money is either not paid or paid after months of delay.