Punjab Congress demands loan waiver for farmers, farm workers

Chandigarh, Within days of the re-organisation of its kisan and khet mazdoor cell, the Punjab Congress today submitted a memorandum to the Governor, Mr Shivraj Patil, demanding, among others, waiving of loan of the farmers and the farm workers.

The memorandum was submitted by the delegation led by the state party chief, Mr Partap Singh Bajwa which included the former MP and the PCC chief Mr H S Hanspal, the BKU President and the former MP Mr Bhupinder Singh Mann, former MLA and the PPCC Vice-president Mr Surinder Pal Singh Sibia, former MLA and the General Secretary Mr Jasbir Singh Dimpa, party Secretary Mr Harminder Singh Gill, General Secretaries Smt. Lakhwinder Kaur Garcha and Mr Rajanbir Singh, Mr Inderjit Singh Zira, Chairman Kisan and Khet Mazdoor Cell, Mr. Jagtar Singh Rajla Ex-MLA, Mr Gurpartap Singh Mann, Secretary PPCC, Mr Bhupinder Singh Bittu Secretary, Youth leader Mr Khushbaz Singh Jatana and Mr Surinder Kundra, General Secretary, Rice Miller Association.
The party pointed out that on the pattern of the UPA, the Narendra Modi government should also waive the loans of the farmers and farm workers. The government should ensure remunerative process for the farm produce by fixing MSP on the recommendation of the Swaminathan Committee which provides for 50 per cent profit over and above the cost of production and Basmati MSP at the rate of Rs. 3500 per quintal. The party also wanted the procurement of maize at its MSP of Rs. 1300 per quintal.

The delegation demanded that the NDA ban on the states on giving bonus at the rate of Rs. 200 per quintal on paddy should be withdrawn immediately. The moisture content limit of paddy should be restored to 15 per cent as one per cent reduction was causing problems to both farmers as well as the millers. Crop insurance scheme should be implemented by involving MNCs. The Punjab government should announce compensation to the cotton growers at the rate of Rs. 8000 per acre.
The delegation also pressed for Rs. 5000 per acre as drought relief saying the amount of Rs. 420 per acre announced by the government was nothing but a cruel joke. VAT on diesel used in farm operations should be withdrawn.
Taking up the problems faced by the farmers in the border areas, the party impressed upon the government to announce compensation at the rate of Rs. 10000 per acre to the farmers whose lands were between the barbed wire fencing and the international border or alternatively, these lands should be acquired by the government.
The party also pressed for the sugarcane price at the Rs. 340 per quintal.

Taking a serious view of the increasing incidence of suicides in the state, the party demanded that the family of such farmers and farm workers should be given Rs. 5 lakh as compensation. The state government should provide free 5-marla plots to the farm workers.

The payment of paddy to the farmers should be ensured within 24 hours, the delegation added.