Crop insurance scheme ‘biggest scam’

Tribune News Service
Shimla, February 6 

The Congress today accused the BJP regime of misleading the public by distorting facts and taking false credit for the promises made in the last Budget, which remained unfulfilled.

Participating in the motion of thanks on the Governor’s address, Congress legislator Asha Kumari termed the crop insurance scheme the biggest ever scam. “The irony of the much-hyped scheme is that while farmers are being charged a premium, they are not being paid a penny in the name of compensation,” she said. 

Ashish Butail said despite the Governor starting his address with a Sanskrit shaloka, he failed to find any succour being provided to the people from anarchy and deteriorating law and order situation on the ground. 

“The one-year BJP regime has only provided conducive environment for criminals and mafias to flourish as they have no fear of the law or its enforcement agencies,” he said. The health facilities, especially in the rural and far-flung areas, were far from satisfactory. 

Butail said the Jan Manch programme should be renamed as “Jhand Manch” or even better “Lunch Manch”. “The scheme is the wastage of public money where officials are humiliated. Moreover, there is no fun taking pride in getting problems resolved when these should be done in routine in offices only,” said Butail. He sought the support for the tea industry in Kangra. 

“Despite there being immense potential in the tourism sector, it is unfortunate that we have to issue an advisory, telling tourists not to visit the state as civic facilities crumble with snowfall,” he said. Similarly, there were no takers for ropeway projects, cement plants or big investors.

Participating in the debate, Sukh Ram Chaudhary of the BJP said the BJP regime, led by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur, had brought relief to every section of society, be it women, the youth, SC, ST, farmers or employees. He said 48,962 gas connections had been provided and the LPG facility to 1.33 lakh families would be provided.

Paramjit Singh Pammi of the BJP said the success of the Jan Manch had shocked the Congress. “The lowering of old age pension from 80 to 70 years had benefited many and several schemes for the welfare of the girlchild had been launched,” he said. 

Others participated in the debate included Mohan Lal Brakta, Rajinder Rana, Surender Shourie, Rakesh Jamwal, Suresh Kumar, Lakhwinder Rana, Kamlesh Kumari, Balbir Verma and Rajinder Garg.

Jan Manch waste of money: Butail

The Jan Manch programme should be renamed as ‘Jhand Manch’ or even better ‘Lunch Manch’. The scheme is the wastage of public money where officials are humiliated. Moreover, there is no fun taking pride in getting problems resolved when these should be done in routine in offices only - Ashish Butail, Cong MLA