Kapurthala: In a statement released here today, the Leader of Opposition Sukhpal Singh Khaira severely reprimanded the Modi government for the meagre increase of Rs. 110 per quintal MSP of wheat. Khaira said that the inadequate increase of Rs. 110 per quintal is a joke with the farmers of Punjab who are struggling to make two ends meet. The GOI has completely failed to keep the rising inflation in minding before making such a meagre increase in the MSP.
Khaira stated that it is a matter of record that the farmers of Punjab alone are under a colossal debt of Rs. 1 lac crore, due to which they are committing suicides in large numbers each day. He said that the situation of the farmers across India is no better than that of Punjab. Therefore, he said that this meagre increase of Rs. 110 per quintal will not help improve the plight of the farmers over the country. He said on one hand the government was forcing the farmers not to burn paddy stubble as per the directions of NGT, which requires approx. Rs. 4,000-5,000 per acre while on the other hand the GOI is increasing the MSP by only Rs. 110 per quintal, which is half the cost of directions of the NGT. The LoP also criticised the meagre increase of Rs. 200 per quintal in the MSP of pulses. He said the increase in the MSP of pulses is also not in sync with the rising inflation.
In the same breath, Khaira also condemned 28 % GST on tractors and other farm related machinery, which will only add to the woes of the farmers. Khaira also expressed resentment over the reported news that the farmers would have to pay Rs. 30,000 annual tax on their tractors. Khaira said if the news is correct it will further aggravate the agrarian crisis and lead to many more suicides in the coming days.
He lambasted the Modi government for its gross discrimination with the farmers by waving off the bad debts of corporate giants to the tune of Rs. 2.11 lac crore as Non Performing Assets (NPA). Khaira stated that if the Modi government can waive off such a huge amount of Rs. 2.11 lac crore of big industrial houses, why the GOI cannot waive off Rs. 1 lac crore debt of lacs of small and marginal farmers of Punjab.
He said the AAP also condemns the lackadaisical attitude of Capt. Amarinder Singh for not taking up the issues of Punjab farmers with the GOI appropriately. He said Capt. Amarinder Singh is merely offering lip service to the cause of farmers and is running away from his electoral promise to waive off the debt of farmers of Punjab.
Khaira said that the MSP of wheat, paddy and other crops should be fixed as per the Swaminathan committee i.e. 50% profit over and above after calculating the cost of input per acre. Khaira chided both the Modi and Capt. Amarinder Singh governments for failing to implement the recommendations of the Swaminathan committee, despite being part of their election manifestos.