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Waiting for loan waiver, Punjab farmers step up their protest

Jagtar Singh from Sangrur allegedly consumed pesticide after failing to pay a loan amount of Rs 6 lakh, and Jagraj Singh from a village in Bathinda consumed pesticide as he was struggling to pay a debt of Rs 10 lakh.

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With the Punjab government yet to fulfill its poll promise of providing loan waiver to farmers, overriding debts continue to take a toll on farmers across the state, compelling farmer organisations to step up their protest in support of their demands.

Two more farmers allegedly committed suicides in Bathinda and Sangrur district in Punjab on Saturday, taking the toll to 40 in the last two months, according to Kisan unions. According to government estimates, farmers in Punjab are reeling under a total debt of over Rs 72,000 crore.

Jagtar Singh from Sangrur allegedly consumed pesticide after failing to pay a loan amount of Rs 6 lakh, and Jagraj Singh from a village in Bathinda consumed pesticide as he was struggling to pay a debt of Rs 10 lakh.

Questioning the delay in announcing the loan waiver, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and leader of the opposition HS Phoolka, however, said over 60 farmers have allegedly committed suicide in the state ever since the new government came to power. "Why can't the government provide compensation in installments to farmers, until the loan waiver is put into effect," said Phoolka, after visiting the families of the deceased in Ferozepur.

When questioned, Punjab Pradesh Congress Committee (PPCC) President Sunil Jakhar said, "The government is yet to complete 100 days in office, and it will fulfill its promises before that. Wait for seven days and the CM will make an announcement for loan waiver." The announcement is likely to be made in the proposed budget on June 20, he said.

In the line up to the announcement, the cash-strapped government, which provides free power to farmers, is likely to appeal to big farmers to surrender their subsidy in the upcoming budget session.

"CM Captain Amarinder Singh will lead by surrendering subsidy. Other big farmers, including leaders across party lines, will follow suit in the interest of state and small and debt-ridden farmers," said Health Minister Brahm Mohindra adding that the state's economy was reeling total debt touching around Rs 2 lakh crore.

The farmer organisations who had called for a statewide stir on June 12 in support of farmers' protests in Mandasaur, alleged that the government is not doing anything concrete. The expert group formed by the government for the loan waiver under Dr T Haque, former chairman, Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices, is yet to submit its final report, two months after its formation.

"It has been over two months since the government was formed and spate of farmers suicides continue. We are now waiting for the Budget announcement on June 20. If the government does not announce loan-waiver for farmers, then we would hold major protests across the state from July 7," said Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ugrahan), General Secretary, Sukhdev Singh Kokri while talking to DNA.

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