AAP releases ‘Kisan Manifesto’

Baghapurana (Pb), Sep 11 (PTI) Aam Aadmi Party eyeing towrest power in Punjab in the 2107 assembly polls, todayunveiled its 31-point ‘Kisan Manifesto’ with an action plan toprevent farmer and farm labourers suicides and make them debtfree and prosperous by December 2018. The Manifesto was released by Manifesto committeechairman Kanwar Sandhu at a party rally here which was lateraddressed by AAP national convenor and Delhi chief ministerArvind Kejriwal. Sandhu said that the party will re-enact Sir Chhotu RamAct of 1934 (Moneylenders’ Debt) in which under nocircumstances will the sum of interest payable exceed theprincipal amount. "All debts where a farmer has paid a sum twice theamount of the principal shall be deemed to be whollydischarged," he said addressing the gathering on the occasion. Every property mortgaged by a debtor whose debt is deemedto be discharged shall stand released, Sandhu said adding thatno indebted farmer shall be dispossessed of his land holdingsand house. He said that loans of poor farmers and farm labourerswill be waived off and loans of SCs and BCs will also bewaived off. "Interest on loans of other farmers will be waived off.Punjab farmers to be debt free by December 2018," he said. No coercive recovery proceedings against farmers will belaunched till December 2018 when they will be debt free,Sandhu said. To make up crop loss, compensation of Rs 20,000 per acrefor crop loss due to drought, floods, pest attack, unseasonalrain, will be given, he said. In the event of crop failure, farm labourers shall begiven a compensation of Rs 10,000 for every month of loss ofwork, the AAP leader said. Full implementation of Swaminathan Commission Report oncrop pricing will be done by December 2020. He said that re-registration of land acquired for theSutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) Canal by Congress and Shiromani AkaliDal governments earlier, will be done in the name of originalowners. It will be ensured that farmers get 12-hours of freeelectricity for farming, he said quoting the Manifesto. Shagan of Rs 51,000 within one week of wedding of thedaughter of a farmer or farm labour will be given besidesShagan deposit of Rs 21,000 in a bank account in the name of anewly born daughter born to a farmer or farm labour will bemade. PTI VJ AKARG