Rs 4,250 crore for debt waiver, 36,666 crore for agriculture allied welfare
Sunday, 25/03/2018
https://dailypost.in/news/punjab/debt-waiver-agriculture-allied-welfare/
Chandigarh – Punjab government has allocated Rs 4,250 crore for debt waiver scheme in the proposed Budget for 2018-19. Earlier, the state government had kept a reserve of Rs 1,500 crore for this scheme. While talking to reporters, Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal said that only Rs 370 crore could be disbursed to 71,166 farmers in 201718, as the formalities could not be completed. He said although in the budget proposal Rs 4,250 crore has been kept for the purpose, but the amount can be enhanced as may be necessary to fulfil the commitments in debt relief.
During the presentation of Budget proposal, Manpreet said that free power facility to the farmers would be continued and for this purpose an allocation of Rs 6,256 crore has been provided for in the Budget. Manpreet said that Rs 400 crore has been proposed for the development of comprehensive agriculture under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY). Also, Rs 25 crore has been proposed for support to extension service and Rs 10 crore for National Food Security Mission.
The Finance Minister said that Rs 55 crore has been reserved for the National Horticulture Mission in which 7,000 farmers would be assisted and 10,000 acre cultivable area to be brought under diversification. The state government shall be laying special emphasis on horticulture, marketing of produce and food processing to ensure a sustainable success of this effort. Rs 180 crore has been kept in proposal to provide support to the sugarcane growers in the state.
He said that Rs 100 crore has been earmarked for crop residue management and with the cost of Rs 750 crore, a special project will be undertaken to improve the agricultural marketing infrastructure in the state. To improve animal husbandry, fisheries and allied profession, cooperation and dairy cooperative funds have been earmarked. He said that all the primary Agriculture Cooperative Societies shall be computerised with a budget of Rs 45.50 crore.
