Capt Amarinder seeks Centre’s support to tackle fiscal crisis
Monday, 24/04/2017
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New Delhi/Chandigarh : Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh has pitched for financial assistance from NITI Aayog to mitigate the financial distress of the farmers through a one-time debt waiver, while seeking a special package from the Centre to promote major industrial hubs in the state.
The Chief Minister’s strong appeal for Central assistance came through his speech, which was circulated and taken on record at the third Governing Council meeting of the NITI Aayog here on Sunday. Captain Amarinder could not attend the meeting due to unavoidable reasons.
The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was attended by Union Cabinet Ministers, state Chief Ministers, Vice Chairman, Members and CEO of NITI Aayog, along with senior officers from different states and Union Territories.
Lauding the Central government’s Smart City initiative, the Chief Minister mooted the establishment of Smart Villages on the same lines for the development of Punjab’s rural infrastructure. He urged the Central government to launch a mission for this purpose, with adequate funding to upgrade rural infrastructure and bring the benefits of technology and markets to the state’s rural areas.
In his speech, Captain Amarinder chronicled the urgent and crucial challenges confronting the people and the newly constituted state government, which had been left with the humungous task of bringing the state out of its present financial distress, stagnating agriculture and industry, rising unemployment, collapsing urban infrastructure, declining agricultural income and consequent rural distress.
Citing the massive Rs 1,82,000 crore financial debt inherited by his government, the Chief Minister requested the Central government to consider a one-time debt waiver and debt swap as a special dispensation for the state to enable it to come out of financial difficulties.
Referring to the state government’s plan to promote employment and micro-enterprises in its endeavour to fulfill its promise of ‘Ghar-Ghar Mein Naukari,’ Captain Amarinder urged the Union government to provide direct subsidy of Rs 1,00,000 to all youth seeking to engage themselves in self-employment after skill development.
The Chief Minister also sought the NITI Aayog’s support in setting up a Deficiency Price Payment Support system to provide farmers with crop remuneration at par with MSP for all other crops in addition to wheat and paddy.
HighliGHts
Urges Centre to provide direct subsidy of Rs one lakh to all youth seeking to engage themselves in self-employment after skill development
Seeks one-time infrastructural development package for border areas
Calls for inclusion of Punjab as a category ‘A’ state for financial assistance under the Modernisation of State Police Forces scheme
Seeks NITI Aayog’s support in setting up a Deficiency Price Payment Support system to provide farmers with crop remuneration at par with MSP
