Dharamsot terms Budget pro-farmer

Forests and Wildlife Preservation and SC/BC Welfare Minister Sadhu Singh Dharamsot has termed the Budget as pro-farmer and development-oriented. Dharamsot said Capt Amarinder government was fully aware of the condition of weaker and deprived sections and had increased the pension from Rs 500 per month to Rs 750 per month given to 14.50 lakh people who are in their old age, 1.70 lakh dependent children, 1.90 lakh disabled persons, 3.80 lakh widows and homeless women.

He also said the government had increased the amount given under the 'Aashirwad Scheme' to the daughters of SC/BC/Christian/widows/divorced and widows belonging to any caste from Rs 15,000 to Rs 21,000, which was a praiseworthy step.

The minister praising the Finance Minister for the allocation of funds for different development works and welfare schemes said these would act as a driving force for all-round development of the state. He said the Finance Minister had kept Rs 17.66 crore for the Punjab Scheduled Castes Corporation and Rs 2.44 crore for BACKFINCO to provide loans at easy rates to youths hailing from the SC/BC and minority sections.

He said the government was committed to strengthening the rural credit institutions. He said the crop compensation amount for the farmers of the state had been increased from Rs 8,000 to Rs 12,000 in order to ensure that they were able to recoup their loss.