Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
Chandigarh, Sunil Jakhar, Leader of the Congress Legislative Party has urged Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to call an emergency session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha.
He said that cotton and paddy prices had gone down by 25-30 percent lesser than last year. The state agencies had not been able to pay the bills against purchase of paddy for past three weeks; officials said funds were not available. The situation, he said, depicts fiscal emergency. An emergency session of Vidhan Sabha must be convened not later than Nov 10, he said. demanded an emergency session of Punjab Vidhan Sabha to discuss sad plight of cotton and paddy growers and poor fiscal of the state government.
Holding the infighting between the SAD and BJP responsible for the current mess, he said that SAD had in the past been accusing the Congress led UPA government (falsely) for “step motherly” treatment to Punjab but now maintains studded silence over BJP led NDA government’s total bias against the state now. Punjab survives on agricultural economy but state government had turned blind eye over the crisis through which farming community had been reeling after induction of new Central government.
He said that farmers had reason to appreciate Captain Amarinder Singh led Congress govt which had ensured quick sale of produce he said that payments were made within three days in 2002-07 after purchases. The alliance govt in Punjab had approached Central govt well before paddy season but the Finance Ministry approved cash credit limit for Rs 8000 crore only. It seems that BJP leadership was all out to humiliate SAD to teach a lesson over the neglect of saffron party ministers in the state and so-called social cum political alliance with the Indian National Lok Dal. He believes that the Ministry of Finance was following instructions from top brass to force Punjab to pay long pending debts of Rs 45000 crore. He regretted that farmers will have to bear its brunt. This SAD-BJP political showdown might further ruin Punjab economy which already stood shattered due to anti-business and anti-industry policies of the state govt, he said.
