`10 crore relief a cruel joke on farmers, claims Amarinder
Friday, 18/09/2015
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MAUJGARH (FAZILKA): The Punjab government must utilise the money available with it under the Chief Minister Relief Fund to compensate Malwa’s cotton farmers, who are reeling under the whitefly attack, said deputy leader of the Congress in the Lok Sabha Amarinder Singh on Thursday.
Amritsar MP Captain Amarinder Singh with Congress Legislature Party leader Sunil Kumar Jakhar in a whitefly-affected field of Abohar subdivision in Fazilka district.
Amarinder made these remarks after visiting whitefly-affected fields near Maujgarh village, 25 km from Abohar. “The grant of `10 crore is a cruel joke on cotton farmers as around 65% crop has been damaged due to the white fly attack. The loss per acre to cotton farmer on an average is more than `15,000. So, the total loss is around `1,200 crore and the farmers need to be immediately compensated,” said Captain. “Badal must knock at the NDA government’s door if more funds are required to compensate cotton farmers,” said Captain.
“The procurement of pesticides by the agriculture department should be probed. Officials allegedly supplied substandard pesticides to farmers in connivance with agriculture minister Tota Singh, resulting in huge losses to cotton farmers,” alleged Captain, who was accompanied by Congress legislature party leader Sunil Jakhar.
Hitting out at the AKali-BJP government, he said:“The evident example of Akalis’ misrule is that all canals and dams of state are full to their capacity, but farmers in tail-end areas are still facing acute shortage of water.” Later, Captain addressed a rally at Maujgarh, attended by cotton farmers. “As Captain Amarinder Singh tastes the dust in the fields to see the plight of cotton farmers, the so-called ‘messiah’ of farmers --- chief minister Parkash Singh Badal — is busy enjoying chopper rides,” said Jakhar.
