CM seeks ₹80,845 cr central aid to ‘deal with new normal’
CHANDIGARH:Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Monday sent a memorandum to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking a financial aid of ₹ 80,845 crore to “deal with the new normal” in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic.
He also demanded non-fiscal assistance on various fronts to save lives and secure livelihoods.
Listing out detailed measures to revive Punjab’s economy amid the pandemic, he said a direct fiscal stimulus of ₹26,400 crore and the waiver of longterm cash credit limit (CCL) debt was necessary for the state’s fiscal recovery. Also, all central schemes should be 100% funded by the Union government in 2020-21, he said.
“The estimated cost of improvement of the state’s public health infrastructure from a long-term perspective is ₹6,603 crore. The state would need ₹15,975 crore for the upgrade of farm gate infrastructure, onetime farm debt waiver, providing income support, interest subvention and ₹1,161 crore for the animal husbandry and dairy sectors,” he demanded.
The chief minister stressed that ₹5,068 crore will be required to contain the contagion in the rural areas.
URGES MODI TO REVIEW FARM ORDINANCES
The CM also requested Modi to review the three ordinances issued recently by Centre related to the agriculture sector keeping in view the concerns and interests of the farmers.
Underlining the need for the Centre and the states to work in coordination for the good of the people, he sought a reconsideration of the three ordinances for permitting trade in agricultural produce outside the agricultural markets under the APMC Act, easing of restrictions under the Essential Commodities Act, and facilitating contract farming.
He pointed out that the agriculture produce marketing system in Punjab had stood the test of time and has in fact been an important contributor to the success of the ‘Green Revolution’. “The change in the agricultural marketing system has led to widespread apprehension among state farmers,” he said.