Amarinder Singh seeks help from Centre for farm loan waiver

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has sought help from the Centre to fulfil his election promise of a one-time loan waiver to debt-ridden farmers of the state.

On a visit to the national capital for courtesy visits to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley, Singh sought a “special package” from the Centre to write-off Rs 80,000 crore debts owed by the farmers to banks and money lenders.

The chief minister said though he had sought financial assistance from the Centre, the Punjab government was committed to the farm loan waiver and had initiated a time-bound process for the same. Singh also met President Pranab Mukherjee.

In a memorandum to the prime minister, Singh said the total farm debt in Punjab amounted to more than Rs 80,000 crore, including the crop loans in the cooperative sector to the tune of Rs 12,500 crore.

Sidhu may find hard to continue in TV
Punjab minister Navjot Sidhu may be stripped off his cabinet portfolio of culture and tourism amid the growing clamour over his decision to continue his appearances on the popular television show The Kapil Sharma Show. Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh indicated this on Wednesday, DHNS reports from Chandigarh.

Sidhu’s TV assignments are likely to hit a roadblock on his assuming charge as minister. Sidhu’s decision to continue with his comedy show on TV may eventually not find reasonable justification as it may be construed as a “violation” of the code of conduct for ministers.