Govt ready with pension scheme for state farmers

Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, January 9

With an eye on elections and to counter the possible impact on voters of the Congress and INLD promise of a farm loan waiver, the ML Khattar government in Haryana is all set to roll out a pension scheme for farmers after the Jind byelection on January 28.

Sources said the  scheme, drafted by a committee headed by Tohana MLA and BJP president Subhash Barala, which met here on Wednesday, was almost ready. Barala was less forthcoming on the issue, saying, “the committee will unanimously decide on farmers’ benefit and submit a report to the CM.”

The committee has sought data on farmers from deputy commissioners within 10 days to decide on the  modalities of the scheme, already having deliberated on the  Centre’s Atal Pension Yojana (APY) for workers in the unorganised sector. 

Under the APY, the Centre contributes Rs 1,000 per beneficiary. This, coupled with contributions by the state government and the beneficiary, could provide a decent pension to farmers in old age.   Also,  Haryana pays Rs 2,000 per month as pension to senior citizens. The CM has in the past hinted at the feasibility of it being expanded to cover the farming community.

The Khattar government, during the one-day winter session of the Assembly (December 28), had faced bitter criticism over farm loan waiver. With the Congress governments in Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh announcing a waiver within days of assuming office, it has been looking at ways to appease the Haryana Jats.