Capt skips debt waiver event after chopper develops glitch
PHASE 4 Jakhar attends Sangrur function; 73,748 farmers from 6 districts get debt relief of ₹485 crore
Chief minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday skipped the fourth phase of the farm debt waiver function at Rampura village in Sangrur.
Later in the day, the CM regretted missing the function. The CM tweeted: “Sincerely regret missing the opportunity to personally hand over debt waiver certificates to my farmer brethren in Sangrur today. Got grounded by a last-minute technical glitch in the chopper. My best wishes with the farmers, with promise of continued govt efforts to help them.”
In CM’s absence, finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal presided over the function and handed over debt waiver certificates to 14 farmers as a token gesture in the presence of his cabinet colleagues Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Razia Sultana, Congress MLA Vijay Inder Singla, state Congress chief Sunil Jakhar and CM’s wife Preneet Kaur. As many as 73,748 farmers from six districts got debt relief of ₹485.69 crore at the function.
One of its key pre-poll promises, the Amarinder government rolled out the farm debt waiver scheme on January 7 from Mansa district where 47,000 farmers from five districts in the Malwa region were given certificates.
CAPT HAS SENT ME TO ATTEND FUNCTION, SAYS JAKHAR
Amid reports that Jakhar may skip the loan waiver function in Sangrur after Wednesday’s incident when he left the chief minister’s office (CMO) in a huff when he was reportedly asked leave his mobile phone outside, the state Congress chief was present on the stage and even addressed the farmers.
“The CM has sent me to attend the function,” Jakhar said. “There is no issue between us,” he added.
Addressing the gathering, Jakhar flayed Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal and state unit of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) for terming the loan waiver meagre.
He said the government will waive loans of poor and marginalised farmers while releasing a list of bank defaulters associated with the Shiromani Akali Dal, AAP and even the Congress.
“The the SAD and AAP want debt waiver for all, including their leaders who owe banks in crores,” said Jakhar.
The government should auction land of such defaulting leaders, he added.