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Budget puts agrarian economy in peril: Sukhbir
Sukhbir said the agricultural economy had been put in peril by ignoring all the demands of farmers, including providing a legal guarantee on MSP and farm loan waivers.
Senior Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) leader Sukhbir Singh Badal today said it was unfortunate that the Union Budget did not go in for inclusive development of the nation and concentrated on poll-bound states. Sukhbir said the agricultural economy had been put in peril by ignoring all the demands of farmers, including providing a legal guarantee on MSP and farm loan waivers.
“It is unfortunate that the focus was on Bihar and Assam, which go to the polls this year, even as important states like Punjab have been completely ignored. The government has failed to earmark funds for ensuring minimum support price (MSP) on all crops as per the assurance given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi four years back. No funds were earmarked for a comprehensive farm loan waiver which was needed across the country,” Sukhbir said.
Badal said the central government made no attempt to rework the PM Fasal Bima Yojana and earmark more funds for it so that farmers could derive benefit from the scheme.
The SAD leader said Punjab was also looking forward to the allocation of funds for crop diversification to incentivise farmers to give up paddy cultivation. “Sadly, the government failed to do this. It is also unfortunate that no infrastructure or rail project had been earmarked for Punjab or any major institution. Punjab needs funds to revamp its canal irrigation system but these have also been denied to the state. The state has also been denied a special package for industry in the border zone even as there is no assurance of reopening trade with Pakistan from the Wagha-Attari border.
Badal said the union budget had also failed to simplify GST collection. “The trade and industry has been calling for simplifying and rationalising the GST collection but this demand was also ignored,” he said adding that cuts have been imposed on the budgets of key sectors like education, transport and rural development.
