Names missing from debt waiver list, allege farmers

Parvesh Sharma

Tribune News Service

Sangrur, January 3

The first list of farmers for Rs 2 lakh debt waiver has upset several farmers who alleged that either their names were missing from the list or they received waiver of just a few hundred rupees.

The farmers today protested in front of the Lehragaga SDM office and announced to intensify their agitation in the coming days.

“There are many farmers who are under heavy debt, but they have received a waiver of below Rs 100. It’s cruel joke with debt-ridden farmers by the government,” said Dharminder Pashore, Lehragaga block president of BKU (Ugrahan).

“Like me there are many more in our area who fulfil all criteria to get debt waiver. But our names are missing from the list. The state government must take action against officers who have prepared the list and add our names there,” said Kulwant Singh, a farmer.

“I do not have the exact number of farmers whose names have been added in the first list of eligible farmers. The second list will come in a few days. The authorities have directly sent the lists to the SDMs concerned and I am trying to collect it from them,” said Baljinder Singh, Sangrur deputy registrar of cooperative societies.

“Hopefully, everyone will be covered in the second list, which will come in the next week. We will take claims from farmers whose names have not figured in the second list. About waiver of a few rupees, it has been done by computers and not by any officer,” said Bikram Shergill, SDM, Lehragaga.