Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi being greeted by a delegation of Punjab farmers in New Delhi on Monday.
— Tribune photo by Manas Ranajn Bhui |
New Delhi, February 25
Punjab Congress has urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to include farmers of the state in the proposed debt-relief package being considered by the central government.
Punjab Congress chief Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, who met the Prime Minister and Congress President Sonia Gandhi along with party MLAs, MPs and senior leaders, said farmers from the state contribute the maximum to the country’s food kitty and theyshould be included in the proposed relief package. She sought inclusion of all farmers of the state, who had less than five acre land, in the package.
Bhattal, who came to Delhi with a large number of party workers from rural areas of the state and submitted a memorandum to the Congress president, sought to pre-empt tomorrow’s rally by SAD and BJP aimed at mounting attack on the UPA for its policies concerning the farmers.
The Prime Minister, who hinted at the Centre conceding demands put forth by the Punjab Congress, took a dig at the SAD by saying that the party was trying to create a false impression that the UPA government was not protecting the interests of Punjab farmers.
“Akali Dal is taking out rallies to convey that UPA government is not protecting the Punjab farmers. This is absolutely wrong and by coming here in such large numbers, you have proved it,” he told the gathering of Punjab
Congress leaders and workers from the state’s rural areas. “The rights and interests of the people of Punjab are safe in the hands of the UPA government,” he said.
The Prime Minister said he understood the agony of the people of Punjab, particularly of the farmers and his government had waived off loans of the Punjab government last year also.
Indicating a possible relief to debt-ridden farmers in the budget, the Prime Minister said the government would pay attention to the demands put forward by the state Congress leaders.
He said budget was expected in another two three days and it would be inappropriate for him to discuss these issues in detail at this point of time.
“But I would like to assure you that under the leadership of Ms Sonia Gandhi, our government would pay attention to the demands listed in the memorandum that has been submitted. Ms Gandhi, Congress party and the UPA government desire that Punjab should progress and prosper,” he said.
Bhattal said later that Akali Dal had no right to speak on behalf of farmers of the state as they had failed to provide them succour and had flouted court directions. She said SAD leaders Sukhbir Singh Badal and Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa were ministers in the NDA government when relief package was provided to neighbouring states of Punjab. “Before talking about the industrial package, they should seek forgiveness from the people of the state,” she said.
The PCC chief said Punjab Congress leaders had come to express gratitude to the Prime Minister and Congress President Sonia Gandhi for the earlier relief in loans provided to the state and for sanctioning a defence university and central university for the state.
She said the SAD-BJP government was finding it difficult to implement its poll promise of atta-dal scheme and the Centre had sanctioned 10 lakh tonne wheat for the purpose. Bhattal said the state Congress had been pleading the state’s case with the Centre which has been providing liberal assistance to the SAD-BJP government. She said the Centre had made announcements for providing assistance of Rs 15,000 crore for development projects in the state.
The memorandum, which said “Punjab was passing through worst agrarian crisis in the living memory,” sought relief from debt and interest given to the farmers by waiving their dues.
Seeking financial support for farmers, who were out of the traditional banking network, it suggested that the relief should be provided on the basis of family unit regardless of landholding.
Demanding larger allocation for Punjab from the Rs 25,000 crore agricultural development programme of the Centre, the memorandum sought training facilities in the rural areas of the state.
Seeking wheat procurement bonus, the memorandum sought tax concessions to industry in Punjab on the lines of those given to Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarkhand. It said more food processing units should be set up in the state to assist in crop diversification.
Punjab Congress leaders criticised the state government, saying that the SAD leadership was promoting interests of the ruling family. Accusing it of financial mismanagement, they said atrocities had been committed against weaker sections and the government was discouraging democracy in the panchayati raj institutions.
Apart from PCC leaders, state Youth Congress had mobilised a large number of its workers for today’s meetings with the Prime Minister and Congress President.
