New Delhi, Mar 18 (UNI) The opposition Congress party in Lok Sabha on Thursday alleged that the government has given full attention to the construction of national highways in this year's budget only in poll-bound states.
Initiating the discussion on the Supplementary Demands for Grants -Second Batch for 2020-2021, Jasbir Singh Gill of Congress said, 'The government has given full attention to the construction of national highways in the budget only in electoral states and other states have been ignored.'
The Congress member said when the government acquires land for big projects, the farmer gets very little compensation, which needs to be increased.
Taking part in the discussion, Saugata Roy of Trinamool Congress (TMC) said, 'The public is being affected by the increase in LPG prices.' The country's fiscal deficit is increasing, he said alleging that the government is selling PSUs and banks.
'It is inappropriate to give only six thousand rupees annually to farmers in the name of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana,' the TMC leader said. He added that for the last 120 days, farmers have been agitating for their demands but Prime Minister Narendra Modi has maintained silence.
'The government should withdraw the anti-farmer laws,' he demanded.
In response to Prof Roy's allegations, Minister of State for Finance Anurag Singh Thakur intervened and said the TMC member is misleading the House by making false accusations against the government.
Mr Thakur said the government sent money directly to the Jan Dhan accounts of crores of poor people under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Yojana.
He said under the Kisan Samman Nidhi, money was sent to the accounts of nine crore farmers, but
the West Bengal government did not even send the list of farmers and took away the rights of the farmers of the state.
During the lockdown, the Central government provided free ration and food to the 80 crore poor people for five months, the Minister said.
UNI NY/ VT