SAD asks Pb CM to disclose time-bound process for loan waiver

The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today asked Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to disclose the time-bound process for complete waiver of all farm loans, as promised by him before the Assembly polls in the state.
"We along with all Punjabi farmers are eagerly waiting for the complete waiver of all farm loans as promised by you. You had promised to waive the loans, not Government of India.
"Lakhs of farmers have even filled forms at your instance. Now they are waiting for you to deliver on your promise," SAD leaders including Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa and Balwinder Singh Bhundur said in a statement here.

They said it is unfortunate that Capt Amarinder is "politicising" the issue, instead of taking decisive action as promised.
"Please don't try to backtrack on this issue and try to shift the onus on the centre for waiving off the debt burden of state farmers. If you do so, it will be presumed that you have deceived Punjabi farmers by making a promise and not fulfilling it," they said.
They said Amarinder had come out with a statement stating that a time bound process had been initiated to waive off farmers loans.

"But you have refused to detail the steps taken in this regard. You have however chosen to stress that you have met the PM twice on this issue and not once. Even now during your latest meeting you have sought a special financial package to provide a one time loan waiver. This brings us back to the original question.

"If the centre is to waive off the debt burden of Punjab farmers, why did you take ownership for the same during electioneering? Haven't you deceived the state's farmers by doing so," they said.
Stating what the SAD-BJP government had done for Punjab farmers was a matter of record, the SAD leaders said Amarinder could ask his officers to furnish the information to him.
They said besides the free power facility which had been assiduously maintained unlike during Amarinder's earlier tenure as CM, the SAD-BJP government had given record compensation for crop damage.