Khattar mulls farmer pension scheme

Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, December 30

The Manohar Lal Khattar government is mulling a pension scheme for farmers in a bid to avoid anti-incumbency in next year’s Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabha elections, as also to counter the Opposition Congress and INLD promise on a farm loan waiver in Haryana.

A committee constituted by the state government under BJP state chief and Tohana MLA Subhash Barala held its first meeting here recently and dwelled on various modalities for a pension scheme for farmers.

Sources said various options, including the Centre’s Atal Pension Yojana (APY) for unorganised sector workers, were weighed in. 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 amount to the farmer in the old age, sources said.

The Haryana Government pays Rs 2,000 per month as old age pension to senior citizens. The feasibility of its inclusion in the farmer’s pension and other criteria for determining the pension amounts are under active consideration of the government, the sources asserted.

Khattar’s media adviser Rajiv Jain confirmed that the government was seriously contemplating a pension scheme for farmers. “The moment the committee submits its report, the government will go ahead with its plan,” Jain said.

At the one-day Winter Session of the Assembly on December 28, the BJP government, especially Chief Minister Khattar, was in the firing line of the Opposition over farm loan waiver.

Though Khattar announced certain sops for farmers, including Rs 10 hike in sugarcane prices and compensation for waterlogged fields, he found himself on a sticky wicket over the government’s commitment on a farm loan waiver. The Khattar government is already under fire for not implementing the Swaminathan Commission report in letter and spirit. Besides, the competitive politics of recent farm loan waivers by governments of Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh has put the BJP government in Haryana on the back foot, forcing it to announce sops for the politically significant farming community.

“The pension scheme for farmers would be the best antidote to anti-incumbency in next year’s poll. The pension scheme for farmers would be rolled out soon,” a senior government functionary said.