Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, March 1
The Covid pandemic has resulted in a Rs 15,000 crore deficit in Haryana in this ongoing financial year which ends later this month.
Solution to stir will be found
The stalemate over farmers’ issue cannot continue forever. A solution will be found sooner or later. The Centre wants no confrontation with farmers and will let them protest till they understand. — Manohar Lal Khattar, CM
The revenue receipts are 10 per cent lower than the estimates. This has meant an increased reliance on loans though the government remains well within the permitted limits.
Speaking to select mediapersons here today, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar said that the revenue receipts are down by Rs 7,000-8,000 crore and the Centre’s grant-in-aid share has also seen a decline.
“We are short by Rs 15,000 crore. However, due to the Covid-induced lockdown, the pace of development also slackened and the budget earmarked for the purpose witnessed a reduced outgo of Rs 8,000-10,000 crore. So, we are essentially short of Rs 5,000-6,000 crore which has been met by increased debt,” Khattar said.
Stating that Punjab Government’s Bill on MSP is against the farmer since no buyers would purchase the produce below the price, Khattar — commenting on the farmers’ agitation against the Centre’s laws — said that the matter would be resolved soon but he can’t set a dateline for it.
“People from among the farmers will emerge and explain to them that the stalemate cannot continue forever. A solution will come sooner or later,” he said, reiterating that the government wanted absolutely no confrontation and would let them continue till they understand.
Khattar maintained that farmers destroying their standing crop or announcing that milk would be sold at Rs 100 per litre is no way of registering a protest.
“Economics tells us that the price of a commodity depends upon the demand and supply. Milk can be sold at Rs 500 per litre provided there are buyers. Further, milk is a perishable item and there is no organised market,” the CM said.
He said that Haryana had purchased bajra at MSP over and above the production in the state since farmers of neighbouring states — attracted by the rates — flocked to Haryana to sell their produce.
On the Antyodaya scheme for uplifting the status of poor families, Khattar said that the government wants to identify the most economically backward families through the Parivar Pehchan Patra. “Our effort is to extract honey from haves and distribute it among have-nots,” he said.
Punjab's Bill on MSP anti-farmer: Haryana CM
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