‘Ineligible’, dead on debt waiver list

Archit Watts

Tribune News Service

Gidderbaha/Muktsar, May 22

With the Congress government set to resume its debt waiver scheme on Wednesday, several anomalies have surfaced in the list of beneficiaries. An investigation by The Tribune reveals that a number of genuine beneficiaries have been listed to get a relief of as low as Rs 2.

On the other hand, there are some big farmers, allegedly owing allegiance to the Congress, who will benefit up to Rs 1-2 lakh. For instance, Kaur Singh of Fakkarsar village has been named as a beneficiary for Rs 1.9-lakh waiver. He claimed that he was close to SGPC member Gurpal Singh Gora and owned a small chunk of land here and some in Rajasthan.

In another case, Kotli Ablu farmer Jaspal Singh who passed away in 1999 is selected to get a relief of just Rs 2. His family members said Jaspal Singh had taken some loan but they were not aware of the amount. Sukhjant Singh, Secretary, Kotli Ablu Multipurpose Cooperative Society, said: “It might be some clerical mistake.” Meanwhile, sources said the deceased farmer had taken a loan of nearly Rs 1.4 lakh.

Niranjan Singh from Peori village in Gidderbaha, who died about two decades ago, is being given a benefit of Rs 2 lakh. His son Jaskaran Singh said: “My father passed away about 20 years ago. We owned land at that time. Presently, we are landless and I am working as a labourer. I am not even aware of the loan taken by my father. It is surprising that the government has waived Rs 2 lakh on his name.” Baljit Singh of Gurusar village is selected to get relief of Rs 13. He said: “I have not taken any loan, but my brother Gurbhinder Singh did. And he is not among the beneficiaries.”

Gurbhinder Singh said: “I have taken a loan of nearly Rs 40,000 and yet to repay half of it. But the government has not provided me any relief. This is a joke as genuine people like me have been excluded.”

Hargopal Singh, Secretary, Madhir Village Multipurpose Cooperative Society, said: “The name of a farmer is selected as a beneficiary for just Rs 13 because there was an outstanding amount in his name. The society had bought insurance for the farmer and that was the outstanding amount.”

Notably, Kartar Singh of Bhuttiwala village is named to get Rs 9, Gurmel Singh of Kotli Ablu Rs 23 and Pappa Singh of Peori village Rs 27. Further, Wazir Singh of Gurusar village, who died about four years ago, is to get a relief of Rs 33 and Jagtar Singh of Peori village Rs 35.

Sumeet Jarangal, DC, Muktsar, said: “The lists have been finalised after social audit. Farmers having land between 2.5 and 5 acres have been selected. Some people who could not get the benefit due to some reason have been added. No farmer will be given benefit of less than Rs 1,000 as per the government’s directions.”

Cooperation Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa is scheduled to visit Gidderbaha on Wednesday to resume the waiver at a district-level function.