Punjab government open to amend debt waiver scheme: Governor

Chandigarh: The Punjab government is open to amending its farmers’ debt relief scheme in accordance with their feedback, even as the Centre is yet to take a call on the state’s request for financial support for the loan waiver, Governor V P Singh Badnore said today.

He made the remarks on the opening day of the budget session of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, amid the Assembly proceedings being skipped by Akali and BJP legislators, who staged a rally to protest the alleged failure of the state government in implementing full debt waiver.

“The government is open to amending it (farmers’ debt relief scheme) as per feedback from farmers. The government of India was requested for the financial support for the scheme. However, the government of India is yet to take a decision on this,” the Governor said.

But, the Punjab government is fully committed to provide a relief of Rs two lakh to small and marginal farmers as per the notified scheme which is double than the relief given by any other state, he said.

Badnore said the government was contemplating to amend the Punjab Agricultural Debt Reconciliation Act, 2016 to provide an effective forum for reconciliation of non-institutional loans of farmers.

Punjab government is keen to enhance the income of farmers by making agriculture a profitable occupation, he said, adding that the government would soon come out with a state agriculture policy.

Noting that the border state of Punjab is fighting “national battle of narco terrorism”, he said being a transit state for smuggling of drugs and narcotics from inimical forces across the border, it has suffered a large number of cases of addiction.

As the Governor was listing the steps initiated by the Punjab government to tackle the problem of drug addiction including the setting up of special task force, the main opposition led by AAP MLA Sukhpal Khaira trooped out of the House.

Asserting that Punjab is not against the interest of any neighbouring state, he said that the government would not allow anyone to trample over states in alienable rights over its river waters.

“Punjab does not have surplus water and any attempt to transfer waters of Ravi, Beas and Sutlej to any non-basin state would not be allowed,” he said, adding that the government is seriously concerned about some illegitimate demands and averments of neighbouring states and it shall take all possible measures to protect its river waters.

The Governor said that the state government would continue to provide free power to farmers and subsidise electricity to domestic consumers of SC, BC and BPL categories.