Harsimrat differs from CM, says state doesn’t need special economic package
Wednesday, 30/09/2015
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BATHINDA: Contradicting the constant economic package demand of Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal from the Centre, Union minister for food processing industry and member Parliament from Bathinda Harsimrat Kaur Badal on Tuesday said Punjab doesn’t need a special package.
Union food processing minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal distributing cheques under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana in Bathinda on Tuesday.
The chief minister had knocked at the Union government’s door several times for a special package since the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government came to power.
“There is no need of a special package for the state. When needed, the Union government would do the needful,” said Harsimrat, who is also the daughter-in-law of the Punjab CM.
Speaking on the sidelines of a public function in Bathinda on Tuesday, Harsimrat said: “How can the Union government be blamed for the pest attack in the state’s cotton belt?” She said the Centre had already lowered the percentage of calculating the damage from 50% to 33%, besides increasing compensation from ` 3,600 to 8,000 per acre for cotton farmers.
“Though the crop loss is unfortunate, the condition of farmers in Punjab is much better than in Maharashtra and Vidarbha,” Harsimrat said, terming the damage to cotton crop a natural calamity.
Both the CM and deputy chief minister Sukhbir Singh Badal have been demanding a special package for the state, but their meetings with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union ministers have failed to yield results. Badal even met the PM after the Centre announced `1.25 lakh crore financial package for the pollbound Bihar.
Harsimrat differed from Akali legislators and parliamentarians who have been blaming the Union government of ignoring the state and its farmers. Even the party’s Rajya Sabha member Balwinder Singh Bhunder condemned Centre for not giving special economic package to bail out Punjab and its farmers.
