Congress govt cheating farmers, says Sukhbir

CHANDIGARH: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday said the Congress government had defrauded Punjab farmers and betrayed their trust by giving them a Rs 167-crore crop loan waiver after promising a comprehensive Rs 90,000-crore relief.

In a statement, Sukhbir said it was shocking that 70% of small and marginal farmers of the five districts of Malwa, where the scheme was rolled out, had been declared ineligible.

“The exercise is riddled with favouritism with Congress legislators and halqa in-charges making the lists that kept most genuine beneficiaries out,” he said.

The paltry waiver, too, has been achieved by taxing farmers. “The government had imposed 1% cess on wheat and paddy and had increased the market fee. A loan has been taken by pledging this tax income. This is in contrast to the SAD-BJP government headed by Parkash Singh Badal which waived tubewell bills worth Rs 6,000 crore per annum for 10 years resulting in a Rs 60,000 crore waiver. Each farmer got a relief of more than Rs 60,000 per year,” claimed Sukhbir.

“The farmers under debt were insulted by displaying their names in villages. They have not got refund of interest on their loans. Small and marginal farmers are the worst sufferers. Farm labourers have been kept out completely,” the Akali Dal president claimed.