Chandigarh: Punjab CM Cap. Amarinder Singh has urged PM Narendra Modi to consider an agriculture loan waiver at the national level on priority, as a one-time solution to help the distressed farmers. In two separate letters, underlining the need to safeguard the interests of Punjab’s farmers, the chief minister has stressed that a one-time agriculture debt waiver for farmers at the national level was essential, while calling for PMFBY modifications to make the pro-farmer initiative more effective in transforming the rural economy.
The relief given by the Punjab government from its limited resources was not adequate and needed to be supplemented by the Government of India, he said in his letter seeking the loan waiver on a national level.
He pointed out that this farmer friendly initiative would not only contribute to a large extent in reducing the distress but would also help in putting agriculture sector on a path of high growth trajectory and development with an assurance and hope of better quality living for the farmers of the country.
The government should bite the bullet once and for all, he said. Capt. Singh apprised Modi that the state government alone provided a debt relief of Rs 2 lakh to all the marginal farmers.
