Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, January 20- Reiterating firm commitment of state government to bail out the farmers from the vicious circle of farm debt, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today gave his nod for introducing ‘Punjab Relief of Agriculture Indebtness Bill’ in the ensuing session of the state assembly.
A decision to this effect was taken by the Chief Minister while presiding over a high level meeting here at his office this morning.
Taking part in deliberations, the Chief Minister, while underscoring the need for enacting this legislation, expressed deep concern over the mounting debt on the food growers of the country. He said that it was unfortunate that the hard working and resilient farmers of the state who had made the country self reliant in food production through his sheer hard work was consistently grappling with economic distress due to ever increasing debt. Mr. Badal pointed out the Punjabi farmers were financially distressed due to the ever decreasing Minimum Support Prices coupled with escalating farm inputs in terms of fertilizers, diesel, seeds, pesticides and insecticides, which has vehemently squeezed their margins of profit and rendered agriculture a non-profitable venture.
The Chief Minister said that the prevailing dismal scenario has compelled the beleaguered peasantry to take extreme steps to end their lives. Mr. Badal said that it was the need of hour to regulate the entire mechanism of money lending so as to safeguard the interests of farming community. He said that the bill must be aimed at providing relief to agriculturists, farm labours and rural artisans for settlement of debt. “The bill must be comprehensive in all the aspects to ensure that the rights of farmers are duly protected” added Mr. Badal.
The Chief Minister hoped that this legislation would go a long way in bringing much needed relief to the debt-ridden farmers on one hand and regulating the process of money lending on the other. Mr. Badal said that the ensuing legislation would certainly reduce the burden of debt on the economically oppressed farmers by mitigating their woes besides ensuring a level playing field to seek loans in a fair and transparent manner.
