Centre’s drought aid to other states, no money for Punjab

Sarbjit Dhaliwal

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Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, December 31

The Union Government has approved financial aid for several drought-hit states, but it has not spared a singly penny for Punjab.

Sources said the Centre had approved Rs6,800 crore as fiscal aid for drought-affected Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and Karnataka.

In all, 10 states had sought aid of about Rs40,000 crore on the plea that drought-like situation had damaged corps in their respective areas. The Punjab government had sought Rs1,500 crore for kharif crops in 2014 and Rs2,260 crore for kharif crops in 2015.

The rain deficit in 2014 in the state was in the range of 50 per cent and this year, it was nearly 40 per cent.

While other states can declare drought, Punjab cannot do the same technically as it has a large network of 14 lakh tubewells to irrigate crops.

Farmers have to spend additional money to save their crops due rainfall deficit. Recently, the Centre had allowed the state to spend Rs645 crore from the calamity relief fund to compensate farmers whose cotton crop was wiped out due to whitefly attack.

Meanwhile, the price of cotton has started seeing an upward trend due to fresh demand for ginned cotton in the international market. The price has gone up to Rs5,000 per quintal and it is expected to further go up to Rs5,500 per quintal in the days to come. Pakistan has sought about 20 lakh bales from India.

However, most of the growers have already sold their produce to traders. Market was depressed when the farmers sold their produce, but it is now looking up.