AMRITSAR: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today said the union budget 2024 was discriminatory towards Punjab and had failed to address any of the demands of the State.
In a statement issued from its party headwuarter in Chandigarh today, the SAD president said “no allocation has been made for much needed diversification or debt waiver for farmers of the State. This despite the fact that groundwater depletion is at an all time low and there is a realization that the farmer needs to be incentivized to shift away from paddy cultivation”. He said it was also unfortunate that no funds had been allocated for a debt waiver for Punjab farmers who were facing indebtedness and even resorting to suicide in desperation.
Mr Sukhbir Badal said the union government has also failed to provide legal guarantee for Minimum Support Price (MSP) and allocate funds to purchase all crops on MSP. “Farmers are in acute distress in Punjab and across the country and a legal guarantee for MSP is needed to safeguard their interests”. He said this should have been provided as per the Swaminathan Commission which has recommended MSP be fixed by taking into account 50 per cent profit plus comprehensive cost of production of crops.
The SAD president said the industrial sector had also been left high and dry. He said no tax concessions had been announced for Punjab despite the fact that its industry had been crippled due to incentives given to the neighbouring hill States.
“The poor and the youth have also been shortchanged. There is no enhancement in MNREGA. Nothing has been done to address income disparity. Even the Rs 5, 000 per month Apprenticeship scheme is eyewash as youth will not be able to dislocate and join big companies to avail this token amount”, Mr Badal asserted.
The SAD president said it seemed coalition compulsions had scored over national interest. “The lopsided manner in which funds have been allocated to key allies propping up the government has deprived many key States of funds. This needs to be reviewed. Punjab, being a border State, cannot be ignored in this fashion”.