Implementation of farm debt waiver by November: Punjab CM

Patiala (Punjab), Jan 26 : Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Friday appealed to the state's debt-ridden farmers not to commit suicide and said his government was committed to implement the farm debt waiver programme by November.

Addressing a gathering after unfurling the national flag at the Republic Day parade at the YPS Stadium here, the Chief Minister assured that each of the 10.25 lakh farmers covered under the debt waiver scheme will receive benefit by November.

The Congress government came to power in March 2017 and launched its restricted debt waiver scheme last month. It is under fire from protesting farmers and opposition parties for not implementing its pre-poll promise of a complete farm debt waiver. 

Launching the benefits announced under the 'Mahatma Gandhi Sarbat Vikas Yojana', Amarinder Singh said the programme's objective was to give the distressed sections the help they need, socially or economically or psychologically.

He said that two lakh people will start getting benefits under 20 different schemes of the government immediately.

Holding the Shiromani Akali Dal (Badal) responsible for ruining the state's economy, Amarinder Singh said when his earlier government demitted office in 2007, the state's total debt burden was Rs 46,000 crore, which shot up to Rs 208,000 crore due to the misrule and ill-conceived policies of the ealier SAD-BJP government.