Poor rainfall: MPs Ghubaya, Bittu seek special assistance
Saturday, 02/08/2014
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140802/punjab.htm#12
Chandigarh : The Punjab Government is keenly awaiting the Union Government’s response to its request for special aid to tackle the drought-like situation in the state. Besides a 90 per cent subsidy on diesel, the state government has sought a package of more than Rs 2,300 crore.
Sources said the Centre was to discuss the issue at a Cabinet meeting yesterday. It was to announce a 50 per cent subsidy on diesel for a limited period (70 litres of diesel per acre). But there is no word on the issue so far.
Punjab MPs Ravneet Singh Bittu (Congress) and Sher Singh Ghubaya (SAD), who raised this issue in Parliament yesterday as well as today, were backed by some Trinamool MPs from West Bengal. Bittu said the BJP government seemed unwilling to announce any relief for the state.
“The BJP ministers argued that there had been sufficient rainfall in recent days. But the rainfall was deficient by 58 per cent during paddy transplantation in Punjab. To protect the crop, Punjab farmers had to spend large sums from their pocket. Hence, the Centre must announce a package for Punjab”, Bittu said.
