Cong: Debt waiver to include arhtiya loan
Monday, 07/11/2016
http://www.tribuneindia.com/news/punjab/cong-debt-waiver-to-include-arhtiya-loan/319775.html
Chandigarh : Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh today claimed that the farmer’s debt, including loans taken from arhtiyas, would be taken care of once the Congress came to power in the state.
Clarifying in context of the statement by Rajinder Kaur Bhattal that loans taken from arhtiyas would not be covered, he said all categories of loans would be waived without harming the interests of the arhtiyas. Greater transparency would be ensured between commission agents and the farmers, he said.
A senior party leader said: “In the election year, the party cannot afford to ignore loans taken by farmers from arhtiyas as these constitute a substantial part of the total debt of the farmers. It will defeat the very purpose of the farmer’s outreach programme that is aimed at enrolling farmers who are under debt.”
Amardeep Singh Cheema, a former governing board member of the Indian Council of Agriculture research (ICAR) and PPCC general secretary, said the party had already extended its “Karza-kurki khatam, fasal di poori rakam” campaign till November 4.
The forms filled by debt-ridden and landless farmers had touched nearly 32 lakh, he said.
Amarinder said the modalities to resolve the issue of loans taken from arhtiyas would be worked out in such a manner that neither farmers nor arhtiyas would have to suffer.
“With Rs35,000 crore of the total rural debt contributed by farm loans, this is an issue of serious concern not only for the state but also the Union Government,” said Amarinder, urging the Modi government to waive farmers’ debt across the country in line with the waiver done for industries.
