The Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal today lashed at Congress led UPA Government for ignoring the legitimate drought relief claim of Rs. 5112 Crore despite the fact that Punjab suffered 46 % deficient rains, maximum in the country. Addressing the media persons, Badal said that Punjab granary of the country had been contributing more than 50% grains in the national kitty and was solely responsible for making country self-sufficient on food security front. “By ignoring Punjabi farmers, Center was trying to eat the hand that was feeding him,” he commented. Badal said that it was surprising that the claim of Punjab has been ignored despite the public pronouncement by Empowered Committee set up by Union Government under Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar as chairman and Jai Ram Ramesh as its member to give direct relief to Punjab due to unprecedented rain deficiency in the state. He said that they also gave assurance in the press conference that Union Government would release the relief package, the moment the state government submits its detail memorandum giving details of loss. He said that despite submitting detailed memorandum seeking drought relief package of Rs. 5112 crore, the criminal silence of Center on this vital issue reaffirms the public perception of UPA’s discriminatory attitude towards Punjab.The Deputy Chief Minister said that the Punjab government submitted a detailed memorandum seeking relief of Rs.5112.9 crore that included Rs.2531 crore for additional power, Rs.850.80 crore to compensate farmers for incurring cost on diesel, Rs.893 crore for rescheduling of agriculture credit, Rs.300 crore for ground water irrigation, Rs.300 crore for restoration of capacity and installation of alternative tubewells, Rs.211.60 crore for fodder and Rs.26 crore for drinking water. Badal said that despite 46% deficient rains, the Punjabi farmers nurtured the paddy crop like their own baby, irrigating the fields by diesel pumps, mortgaging their ancestral jewellery to buy the diesel but Center was turning blind eye towards them by refusing to compensate them for extra cost incurred by them.
Questioning the silence of Punjab Congress Unit on this vital issue concerning 70% population living in the rural areas, Badal said that Captain Amarinder Singh would not raise any issue that would hurt high command. He said that Captain has become so blind in the self-interest to protect his captaincy that he was mortgaging the interests of Punjabi farmers for the sake of his own chair. Badal said that Shiromani Akali Dal MPs would raise this issue in the winter session of Parliament and he along with Chief Minister would call on Prime Minister and Agriculture Minister to seek early release of drought relief package for Punjab. Prominent amongst those present on the occasion included Bikram Singh Majithia, Public Relations Minister, Sikander Singh Maluka, Education Minister, Sarwan Singh Phillaur, Tourism Minister, Sharanjit Singh Dhillon, PWD Minister and S.S. Saini, DGP Punjab.