Power subsidies for Punjab farmers should be reviewed: BJP

Ruling coalition partner BJP today asked Punjab government to review the power subsidies for farmers after taking due note of the financial health of the state.
"Keeping in mind the weak financial health of the state, it is advisable that a review of the power subsidy be done," said BJP state president, Kamal Sharma.
"We should think about extending this facility to small and marginal farmers while (farmers belonging to) the creamy layer and big farmers should be left out of the scheme," he added.
He said that although free power for farmers in Punjab had been a joint decision of the SAD-BJP combine, the scheme should be reviewed now given the weak financial health of the state.

Punjab government is expected to pay around Rs 5,800 crore in the current fiscal towards the power subsidy.
Meanwhile, responding to a query on the likelihood of the alliance partners swapping seats for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls, Sharma said that such an arrangement might be possible as they had tried something similar for the Assembly elections.

But he made it clear that the matter would have to be discussed with SAD leaders.
As to BJP MP Navjot Singh Sidhu defending his Amritsar seat, Sharma said that the call in the matter would be taken by the party's central election committee.

"As far as Punjab BJP is concerned, Sidhu is still our candidate," he said.