CM hopeful of early package on rural indebtedness for Punjab

Sarai Ka Pattan (Rupnagar), Oct 10 (UNI) Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh today said the state government was seriously pursuing the case with the Union government for the early grant of viable financial package on rural indebtedness to bail out the beleaguered peasantry.

Addressing a press conference after laying the foundation stone of 675.04 meter long high level bridge over river Satluj crossing Nurpur Bedi-Bunga Sahib link road here, Capt Singh said the state government was devising a workable solution to relieve our farmers from the burden of debt owing to the outstanding loans of commission agents (arhtiyas) cooperative and nationalised banks.

He said that out of the total debt, 50 per cent was raised through arhtiyas and out of the remaining 50 per cent it was raised through the cooperative and nationalised banks in the ratio of 60:40. He said that cooperative banks were within the ambit of State Government while the national banks were under the control of the Centre. Referring to the loans from arhtiyas, the state government had already constituted a committee under the chairmanship of Deputy Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal to sort out this issue.

He said that the state government had already taken up this matter with the Union government and was hopeful of positive outcome.

Earlier addressing the rally, Capt Singh ridiculed his predecessor Parkash Singh Badal for opposing any move or initiative taken by the present Congress government for development or welfare of the state. ''We are committed for the development and growth of the state and, on the contrary, the Akalis are criticising us on all fronts because we have left them agenda-less on all fronts,'' the chief minister said.

UNI XC PS KR VV1819