Bholath, March 18, 2010

Sukhpal Singh Khaira ,   MLA Bholath

 Govt. of India has agreed to release Rs. 800 crores as compensation for drought hit paddy growers of Punjab….but Punjab must…

In a welcome step the Govt. of India has agreed to release Rs. 800 crores as compensation for drought hit paddy growers of Punjab during last season. Responding to Sh. Naresh Gujral in the Rajya Sabha the Union Finance Minister Sh. Pranab Mukherjee said that Rs. 800 crores would be released to paddy growers of Punjab as compensation for having sustained the paddy crop despite severe drought condition in Punjab by burning diesel through generators, due to lack of power supply and shortfall in rain.

            The congress also raised the matter during Zero hour today and urged the Govt. to make a statement on the floor of the house that this Rs. 800 crore compensation be passed on to those farmers, whose cost of input went up manifold due to usage of diesel to sustain their crops.

            The congress party demands that the Rs. 800 crore be passed on to 12.82 lac tubewell owner farmers of Punjab who used diesel through generating sets to sustain paddy due to poor power supply. Also those farmers who do not own any tubewell connections be also suitably compensated as they are the worst sufferers who do not have tubewell connections nor any canal water supply.

            The Finance Minister Punjab had raised the issue of Rs. 1000 crore compensation in his budget speech of which Rs. 80 crores has been awarded to Punjab by the Union Govt. The congress party has an apprehension that like other centrally sponsored schemes the Govt. of Punjab is likely to misuse or divert the said Rs. 800 crores package for other purposes rather than paying compensation to farmers. Therefore the Govt. must ensure that this Rs. 800 crores be passed to those farmers who genuinely suffered due to lack of rainfall and shortage of power.