Punjab govt to unfold package on rural indebtness : Amrinder

Ghanaur, Patiala, July 29 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today announced that his government will soon unfold a liberal package on rural indebtedness to bail out the farmers of the state from a vicious debt trap.

Addressing a massive public rally at Anaj Mandi here, he said this initiative of the Punjab government would go a long way to give a major relief to the farming community which was reeling under tremendous pressure on account of heavy debt.

Launching a frontal attack on Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President and former Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, Capt Singh said, ''everybody knew how Mr Badal build up his vast empire by arm twisting the common man''.

Taking Mr Badal to task for his ''misrule'' and ''mismanagement'' during his tenure as Chief Minister, Capt Singh dared him to spell out a single project that had been set up in the state.

He, however, said Mr Badal was, time and again, harping on the issue of bringing Bathinda Oil Refinery, but on the contrary it was the present government which signed a deed of assurance to re-launch this project, otherwise this prestigious refinery would have not seen the light of the day.

He cautioned the people not to be misled by the ''false'' and ''malicious'' propaganda of Mr Badal who was scared of Congress party's bright prospects, in the forthcoming Assembly elections, on the basis of superb performance during its tenure.

He asked them to draw a comparison between the performance of SAD and Congress to ascertain who was their real well wisher.

He lambasted Mr Badal for criticising the government for nothing but just to woo the voters.

On the diversification of agriculture, Capt Singh said the Punjab Government would formally sign an MoU with Reliance Industries Ltd.

(RIL) for setting up hubs in the state which would provide the farmers with inputs such as quality seeds, fertilizers, pesticides, weedicides as well as hi-tech facilities such as drip irrigation and net/green houses etc.

He said RIL would set up seven such hubs in Ropar district by December 2006 benefitting lakhs of Punjabi farmers as growing fruits and vegetables would give agriculturalists 400 per cent more income than the traditional farming.

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