Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, February 28
Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Badal announced a crop loan waiver of Rs 2,000 crore in his budget speech on Friday.
The government announced a power subsidy of Rs 8,275 crore for farmers in 2020-21.
An allocation of Rs 12,526 crore was granted to the Agriculture sector.
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Key highlights:
- A new cattle feed plant to be commissioned in Kapurthala
- Rs 25 crore allocated for the strengthening of cattle pound infrastructure to solve the problem of stray cattle menace
- Rs 2,000 crore allocated for a crop loan waiver, including Rs 520 crore for farm labourers
- A veterinary college and regional research centre to be set up at Sappanwali in Fazilka.
- Rs 20 crore allocated for crop residue management, to give subsidy to farmers who do not burn stubble.
- Rs 200 crore allocated for agriculture diversification. Government to promote maize; sugar mills at Gurdaspur and Batala to be upgraded.
- Rs 100 crore allocated for providing support to sugarcane farmers.
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- New horticulture estates to be set up at Amritsar, Pathankot, Kotkapura and Patiala.
- Centre of excellence of floriculture to be set up in Doraha.
- Two new agriculture colleges at Gurdaspur and Balachaur to be set up
- ‘Paani bachao paisa kamao’ scheme to be extended for giving direct benefit transfer of electricity to the agriculture sector. Scheme to be extended to cover 244 feeders.
- Rural development allotted Rs 3,830 crore