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Haryana assembly polls: INLD promises dedicated agri budget for farmers
Highlighted the pioneering role played by his father Chaudhary Devi Lal and claiming that former deputy Prime Minister was the first leader to introduce compensation for crop damage caused by natural disasters and to waive agricultural loans, Chautala promised that, if elected, the INLD-BSP alliance’s first decision in office would be to waive-off farmers’ loans
In a move aimed at reaching out to the agricultural community, former chief minister and Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) supremo Om Prakash Chautala on Tuesday announced a dedicated agricultural budget if the INLD-BSP alliance forms the government in Haryana.
Highlighting the pioneering role played by his father Chaudhary Devi Lal and claiming that former deputy Prime Minister was the first leader to introduce compensation for crop damage caused by natural disasters and to waive agricultural loans, Chautala promised that, if elected, the INLD-BSP alliance’s first decision in office would be to waive-off farmers’ loans.
He said that the alliance’s top priority would be to ensure the minimum support price (MSP) for all crops and to legally guarantee MSP to secure fair prices for farmers, thereby improving their financial stability.
The proposed agricultural budget includes measures like MSP for all crops, subsidy on fertilisers, seeds, electricity for agricultural use and solar equipment. The budget allocation for agricultural research and disaster relief, subsidies on animal feed, medicines and agricultural storage, tax exemptions on agricultural machinery, budget for technical education for farmers and promotion of loan facilities with low-interest rates for agricultural activities
Reiterating the INLD-BSP alliance’s focus on farmer welfare, Chautala stated that these initiatives would help improve the economic condition of farmers and ensure long-term growth and sustainability in the agricultural sector.
Chautala’s announcement comes as part of the INLD-BSP alliance’s electoral promises. The former chief minister said that this marks the first time a political party in the state has promised to prioritise agriculture in its election manifesto by formulating a separate agricultural budget, reflecting the alliance’s commitment to addressing the economic struggles of farmers.
