Former Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar criticised Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann’s government for imposing a heavy burden on farmers seeking loans from cooperative banks.
Jakhar said when farmers’ unions recently staged a protest in Chandigarh over agricultural debt and other farming demands, Punjab’s Agriculture Minister had given a written assurance on September 7 that action would be taken in the Vidhan Sabha to introduce a one time settlement (OTS) scheme for farmers’ cooperative bank loans. However, he said, the latest Assembly session had concluded without the scheme being introduced.
He said, “There was already widespread chaos in the state due to drugs and extortion. Amid this, farmers have also been left high and dry.”