DW BUREAU / Gidderbaha

Punjab Co-operation Minister Sukhjinder Singh Randhawa on Wednesday said that the Cooperation department would play a leading role in the strengthening of the farming sector of the state and all the cooperative institutions with the inclusion of the cooperative societies would be developed as the rock solid foundations for the agricultural prosperity of the state.

The Minister was addressing a gathering of farmers here on Wednesday on the eve of a function to distribute debt relief certificates to the farmers hailing from Gidderbaha and Malout constituencies.

Randhawa and Gidderbaha MLA Amarinder Singh Raja Warring gave a chance to the farmers to express their views in a free and frank manner. The farmers presented their views and aired their issues in a constructive manner and the Minister highlighted before them the steps being promulgated by the state government for resolving their problems. In his address, Randhawa revealed that a total of 10 lakh farmers across Punjab would be given debt relief to the tune of Rs 9,500 crore and after the completion of the 1st phase the second one would be commencing soon. He said that the previous regime only indulged in promising moon to the people whereas the present government actually acted in the interest of the farmers by implementing debt relief scheme and lifting the previous three crops without any hitch.

He assured the farmers that the state government would always stand by them in their hour of need. He also announced to re-start the closed cooperative societies and said that 3,500 cooperative societies would prove to be the cornerstones for the progress of the rural belt of the state.

(editor@dailyworld.in)