Centre’s farm package nothing but ‘jumlas’: Capt Amarinder Singh

Tribune News Service

Chandigarh, May 15

Trashing the announcements made by Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman for the agriculture sector as nothing but a pack of “jumlas”, Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Friday said the so-called economic package offered no immediate relief to the distressed farmers, who were battling the stress of handling two major crops one after the other in extremely tough conditions.

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‘Farmers need aid’

As one of the most affected states, Punjab needed support for its farmers during wheat harvesting and procurement. But the Centre failed to deliver. In spite of repeated pleas, the Centre did not provide incentive to farmers for staggered procurement. — Capt Amarinder Singh, Chief minister

With three tranches of the much-awaited economic package announced so far turning out to be a major disappointment for the targeted sections of society, it was clear that the Centre had failed to come to the rescue of the people who were struggling with the unprecedented Covid-19 crisis, he said.

“The farmers need urgent help, and not so-called reform measures that have been long in the making and were not needed to be pushed through in haste at this critical juncture,” said Captain Amarinder, expressing concern over the lack of anything substantial in the announcements for the farmers.

The Chief Minister said as one of the most affected states, agriculturally, Punjab needed support for the farmers during wheat harvesting and procurement, which the Centre failed to deliver. “Despite repeated pleas, the Centre did not provide incentive bonus to farmers for staggered procurement,” he added.