Punjab to submit memo on rural indebtedness to Centre

Chandigarh, Apr 26 (UNI) The Punjab Government would send a comprehensive integrated proposal on rural indebtedness to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh for immediate and effective Central intervention to help the state in fighting the menace of debt-related suicides by the farmers.

The Punjab Chief Minster Parkash Singh Badal today constituted a core group comprising Financial Commissioners of Revenue, Development and Cooperation to prepare the state's case to be presented before the "Working Group on Rural Indebtedness" in the Prime Minister's Office.

The Working Group has been set up to form national policy on the subject on the basis of the representations received from different states. The Chief Minister expressed surprise that Punjab, which was one of worst sufferer in the matter of rural indebtedness, was yet to prepare its case to be sent to the Centre.

"Punjab can not afford to lose anymore time because the national policy for rural indebtedness is on anvil and state must present its case to be included within its ambit", said Mr. Badal.

The Chief Minister's decision comes in the wake of a memorandum submitted by the Bharti Kissan Union Punjab led by Mr Ajmer Singh Lakhowal during a meeting with the Chief Minister in the latter's office here this morning.

Mr Badal said that he would pursue the case with Prime Minister, Union Agriculture and Finance Ministers for an early clearance of a package on rural indebtedness for Punjab on the pattern of the one given to Vidharbha region in Maharashtra.

Mr. Badal wanted the Centre to facilitate a 'One Time Settlement' (OTS) scheme to solve the problem of farmer's indebtedness under which the ultimate recovery amount must not exceed twice the principal amount.

Those who had already repaid twice the principal amount should be offered a waiver in an across-the-board policy initiative.

In a bid to safeguard the interest of sugar industry in the cooperative sector, Mr. Badal asked the Financial Commissioner Cooperation and Development to convene a separate meeting to discuss the modalities to enhance the crushing capacity of these mills to make them more viable.

He also asked the Chairman, PSEB to clear the backlog of tubewell connections especially of the category of small and marginal farmers holding land upto five acres on the priority basis.

Chairman PSEB Y S Ratra informed in the meeting that 1,55,000 out of total 2,70,000 connections would be released to the eligible farmers in a phased manner.

He also informed in the meeting that out of the total 28000 transformers, 15000 transformers had been upgraded from the existing load of 25 KW to 65 KW and 63 KW to 100 KW by 16th April, 2007 and the remaining 13000 would be replaced by 30th of June, 2007.

The Chief Minister also briefly reviewed the progress of the ongoing procurement of wheat in the different mandis and directed the Principal Secretary Food&Supplies to ensure the payment to the farmers within 48 hours.

UNI