Punjab CM Channi announces Rs 1,200 cr debt waiver for loans up to Rs 2 lakh
Chandigarh: Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Thursday announced to release funds amounting to Rs 1,200 crore to clear loans up to Rs 2 lakh of about 1.09 lakh small and marginal farmers having land up to five acre. The funds will be released under the existing debt waiver scheme.
The Punjab Government has already waived loans of 5.63 lakh such farmers to the tune of Rs 4,610 crore. Out of these, 1.34 lakh small farmers got relief of Rs 980 crore while 4.29 lakh marginal farmers were benefitted of loan waiver of Rs 3,630 crore.
Also read | Punjab on alert as Ludhiana court blast kills one, injures 5
To acknowledge sacrifices made by hundreds of farmers during the year-long agitation at the Delhi borders, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi also announced to construct a state-of-the-art memorial on five acre.
CM Channi said that this upcoming monument would be exclusively dedicated to farmers’ agitation and their sacrifices would be instrumental in showcasing their relentless battle in getting these farm laws repealed.
He sought support and cooperation from the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) to create this memorial as a state-of-the-art monument to demonstrate the indomitable spirit of farmers and their peaceful agitation.
In a significant decision, CM Channi also announced to bring small and marginal farmers, who have taken loans up to Rs 2 lakh with land holding up to five acre from the Punjab State Cooperative Agriculture Development Bank (PSCADB), previously known as Punjab State Cooperative Land Mortgage Bank, within the ambit of debt waiver scheme.
Acceding to another major demand of the SKM, CM Channi announced to cancel all FIRs registered by the Punjab Police against farmers, who had been protesting against the farm laws by December 31, 2021.
Also read | Delhi ready to handle 1 lakh Covid-19 cases daily: CM Kejriwal amid Omicron scare
He directed the DGP to immediately complete the requisite formalities so as to cancel all FIRs filed against various farmers, including those involved in farm agitation and paddy straw burning cases across the state.
He handed over appointment letters on compassionate grounds to 17 of next of kin of the farmers who died during the agitation.
-PTC News
