Punjab finance minister Manpreet Singh Badal today presented the state Budget for the fiscal year 2021-22 in the Assembly, which proposed a farm loan waiver of Rs 1,712 crore for farmers and landless farm workers. This Budget was presented ahead of the Punjab Assembly elections due for early 2022.

Badal said during the past four years, the Capt Amarinder Singh-led Congress government in Punjab has provided free power to 14.23 lakh farmers amounting to Rs. 23,851 crore and has resolved to continue to provide free power to farmers. An amount of Rs 7,180 crore has been provisioned in 2021-22 in this regard for this purpose alone.

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The finance minister said under the farm loan waiver scheme, debts amounting to Rs 4,624 crore has already been waived off. He said loans of Rs 1,186 crore of 1.13 lakh farmers and Rs 526 crore of landless farm workers will be waived off in the next phase of this scheme during 2021-22.

Apart from the farm loan waiver, Badal announced that the Punjab government had made provisions for free power for agriculture pump sets in 2021-22 at a cost of Rs 7,180 crore. The announcements come as farmers continue to protest against three farm laws passed by the Centre last year.The Budget also proposed free travels for all women passengers and students in state government buses. For this, an amount of Rs 170 crore has been allocated. This apart, hostels will be built for working women in Jalandhar, Patiala, Ludhiana, Mohali, Mansa, Barnala and Amritsar.

This was the last Budget of the Congress government ahead of the Punjab Assembly polls. With an outlay of Rs 1,68,015 crore, the Budget focused more on agriculture, health, education, and rural and urban infrastructure.

Badal also announced the launch of a new umbrella scheme — “Kamyaab Kisan Khushaal Punjab”. Under this scheme, a centre of excellence for vegetables will be set up at Fazilka, a PG institute of horticulture research will be set up in Amritsar, and mobile vending carts will be provided to farmers. A total of Rs 3,780 crore will be spent on this project over the next three years, of which Rs 1,104 crore has been allocated in 2021-22.The Amarinder Singhled government proposed to raise old-age pension from Rs 750 per month to Rs 1,500 per month. Badal also announced an increase in the amount under the Shagun scheme from Rs 21,000 to Rs 51,000.

CM Capt Amarinder Singh described the budget as “profarmer and pro-poor”. “The growth-oriented budget unveiled today in the Assembly by finance minister Badal was designed to ensure the welfare of all sections of the society,” he said.

It was a “people’s budget” and “yet another step in the fulfillment of our government’s promises” made to the people of Punjab, Capt said, referring to the hike in Shagun and pension amounts and the allocations made for the state’s infrastructure development, including the link roads.