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Now `energy bonus' for Punjab farmers

Staff Correspondent

Amarinder announces housing scheme for homeless, allotment letters to 10 beneficiaries issued

CHANDIGARH: "Energy bonus'' for small and marginal farmers and a housing scheme for the homeless are major constituents of a development programme launched by the Amarinder Singh Government in Punjab on the 61st birth anniversary of the former Primer Minister, Rajiv Gandhi.

Addressing a public gathering after laying the foundation stone of a Rs.179.42- crore Rajiv Gandhi Kandi Canal Extension Stage-II near Adamwal village on Hoshiarpur-Chintpurni Road on Saturday, Capt. Singh announced that the "energy bonus'' would be available to farmers with holdings less than five acres and had an electricity connection for a pump set of not more than five BHP.

The Chief Minister further added that in order to lessen the burden of the small and marginal farmers of Kandi and certain other "difficult'' areas, the bonus would be extended to pump sets with a capacity of 7.5 BHP. The State Government would notify these difficult areas shortly, he added.

Giving details about the scheme, the Chief Minister said that bonus would be given at the rate of Rs.60 per BHP month in two instalments every year and assured a "hassle free'' procedure for making the payments. The total cost for providing the bonus was likely to be around Rs. 250 crores and was expected to benefit about 70 per cent of the State's farmers.

The State Government would divert Rs 100 crores from the Mandi Board and provide the remaining amount from the increased revenue collections on account of the implementation of Value Added Tax (VAT) to reimburse farmers' electricity bills payable to the Punjab State Electricity Board (PSEB). The Government would reimburse the bills of those farmers who had paid their bills. While it fulfils the promise made by the Congress to provide free power to the farm sector, the bonus scheme was quite different from the one granted by the previous Akali-BJP regime which had extended the concession to all categories of farmers.

The Chief Minister also launched another scheme to provide five marla plots to the homeless in at least one village in each of the 140 blocks across the State. On the occasion, he distributed allotment letters to 10 beneficiaries under this scheme as well as cheques to the eligible beneficiaries under the self employment scheme, as a symbolic gesture.

Referring to the economic stability, Capt. Singh mentioned that the policies of the State Government had resulted in additional collection of revenue to the tune of Rs. 2000 crores, including Rs. 900 crores from the implementation of VAT, Rs. 900 crores from stamp duty and Rs. 200 crores from market fee of Mandi Board.

The Chief Minster also unveiled a major bonanza for Hoshiarpur district announcing schemes for water supply and sewerage connections in the municipal towns of Mukerian, Dasuya, Tanda Urmar, Mahilpur and Sham Churasi. The Chief Minister also announced grants for the Municipal Councils to rehabilitate the slum dwellers in the towns of Hoshiarpur, Garhshankar, Hariana, Gardhiwal, Balachaur and Mahilpur. These schemes are to be executed by the end of 2006.

Earlier, Capt. Singh laid the foundation stone of a Rs.13- crore Railway overbridge to replace a level crossing at Dasuya. This would ensure a smooth flow of vehicular traffic from Dasuya-Miani Road to Jalandhar-Pathankot Road which further connects Jammu.

Paying homage to Rajiv Gandhi, the president of the Punjab unit of the Congress, Shamsher Singh Dullo, said that his contributions would always be remembered.

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