Form national panel for farm debt waiver, Capt urges PM

Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 17

Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Sunday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to constitute a national committee, having representation from Chief Ministers, to prepare a blueprint of a national debt waiver scheme for farmers.

He underlined that the process should include consultation with the states.

Presenting the case of Punjab during the fourth meeting of NITI Aayog’s governing council that was presided over by Modi, Amarinder urged the Centre to include rivers of Punjab for capital assistance on the lines of the Ganga Action Plan.

He reiterated the state’s demand for approval of projects for upgrading the irrigation system and speedy approval to the Shahpur Kandi Dam projects on the Ravi.

He laid emphasis on the implementation of the Swaminathan Committee report in toto and for waiver of agriculture loans as a national policy.

He batted for debt relief for farmers and sought procurement of alternative crops such as maize, oilseed and pulses by central agencies.

He yet again asked the Centre to incentivise farmers through conditional cash transfer by way of non-burning bonus of Rs 100 per quintal on paddy to check burning of straw and stubble in fields.

The CM rooted for special one-time infrastructure development package for border areas of Punjab. He drew Modi’s attention to the allocation of funds under the Border Areas Development Programme which he alleged was unfavourable to the state.

He made a case for review of the new system of reimbursement of post-matric scholarship for Scheduled Caste students to ensure that the intended beneficiaries are not put to disadvantage. He reiterated the state’s request for central assistance to celebrate the 550th birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev.