CAPT CLEARS DEBT WAIVER FOR 1 LAKH MORE FARMERS

STEP BY STEP With this, 1.6 lakh farmers to be covered at ~748 cr in two phases; ‘to help labourers when finances permit’

The Punjab government cleared an amount of Rs 580 crore to give debt waiver to another 1.15 lakh farmers in the state.

CHANDIGARH: The Punjab government cleared an amount of Rs 580 crore to give debt waiver to another 1.15 lakh farmers in the state, in the second phase of its four-phase scheme, on Wednesday. The money will be disbursed before January 31, according to the a decision taken at a highlevel meeting chaired by chief minister Captain Captain Amarinder Singh.

The scheme that covers crop loans was launched on January 7 with the disbursement of waiver certificates to 46,000 farmers from five districts. With the second phase, the government would have covered 1.6 lakh farmers at Rs 748 crore.

ON PUBLIC FUNCTIONS

“The meeting was in favour of public presentation of the certificates so that the farmers are not misled on any count by the opposition or certain kisan unions seeking to promote their vested interests through false propaganda,” the spokesperson added, apparently addressing comments in sections of the media that public functions for such a scheme embarrass beneficiaries.

“Directing officials to personally monitor and supervise the entire process, the CM has strictly said that no eligible farmer should be left out,” the spokesperson added.

ABOUT LABOURERS

In the first phase, the state is waiving loans taken from cooperative institutions, for which 5.63 lakh farmers have been identified for relief of Rs 2,700 crore. The CM also made it clear that interests of labourers would be taken care of once the state’s fiscal condition would stabilise, said the press release.