Bathinda, May 3: Finance Minister Manpreet Badal on Wednesday disbursed relief to farmers under the second phase of the debt waiver scheme here.
A total of 7,213 farmers were extended relief of Rs 29.17 crore in the district.
Addressing the gathering at an event organised here for the purpose, Manpreet said the debt of 10.45 lakh farmers would be written off under the scheme by September. Under the first phase, all 194 cooperative societies of Bathinda had given Rs 38.34 crore debt waiver to 12,560 farmers. Commending the work of cooperative banks, he said debt relief had been credited into the accounts of 7,213 farmers under the second phase. He said the government was not only waiving farm debt, but also working towards imparting good education and vocational skills to farmers’ children, preparing them for jobs.
Meanwhile, the event was preceded by a protest by anganwadi workers outside the venue. Holding black flags, the workers resorted to sloganeering while a few of them also managed to sneak into the venue. They also had an altercation and a scuffle with the police deployed there before being detained and taken away in two buses prior to the arrival of the minister.
To a media query on anganwadi workers, Manpreet replied that it was a Central scheme and that the state shared a part of the honorarium given to them. “The state has increased its share and now the anganwadi workers were getting honorarium of Rs 5,000 per month. If any further increase has to be made, it has to be done by the Centre,” he said.
Source: http://www.tribuneindia.com
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