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‘Apni Gadi Apna Rozgar’ relief for govt amid criticism

With the launch of 'Apni Gadi Apna Rozgar' (My vehicle, my employment) Punjab government has apparently got a dose of…

‘Apni Gadi Apna Rozgar’ relief for govt amid criticism

Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal (Photo: SNS)

With the launch of 'Apni Gadi Apna Rozgar' (My vehicle, my employment) Punjab government has apparently got a dose of 'positivism' amid opposition's attack on complete farm loan waiver and free education for girls. The state government one of the ambitious scheme 'Apni Gadi Apna Rozgar', has been launched with the help of cab aggregator, Uber, claimed to empower one lakh unemployed. 

Terming the move a game changer in the states' employment sector, Punjab Finance Minister (FM) Manpreet Singh Badal has said 'Apni Gadi Apna Rozgar' will empower one lakh unemployed youths in Punjab initially. He said, the other schemes under similar initiative such as Harra Tractor and Yaari Enterprises will be followed soon to empower more unemployed youths. 

On the farm lean waiver, FM has said his government was working on the modalities to waive off loan of around 10 lakh farmers."Within a month the government will be able to waive off the loans of 10 lakh farmers. Banks have been asked to prepare a data of small and medium farmers who have a debt of up to Rs two lakh," said Manpreet Badal. The 'Apni Gaddi Apna Rozgar’ scheme envisages one lakh taxis, commercial vehicles and other vehicles to be provided to unemployed youth every year at subsidised rates. 

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Similarly, under the Harra Tractor scheme, at least 25,000 tractors and other agricultural implements will be given to unemployed youth at subsidised rates. Also, another initiative, Yaari Enterprises will promote small enterprises started by two or more entrepreneurs, through subsidy of 30 per cent up to a maximum investment of Rs 5 lakh. The scheme envisages setting up of one lakh such enterprises every year from 2017 to 2022. 

On the other hand, the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) has been accusing the Chief Minister (CM) Captain Amarinder Singh led Congress government for cheating farmers by coming out with a bogus farm loan waiver scheme. SAD has also cornered the state government for not implementing a free education system for girls. The former minister and party spokesman Maheshinder Singh Grewal said the entire agriculture economy was passing through a severe crisis.

“Farmers, who already feel betrayed by the government for failing to implement the promised loan waiver, thought they would get a slight relief in the form of fee waiver of girl students. Since the admission process is at the fag-end in all educational institutions, parents have no option but to submit the fee in case they want to admit their wards in the institutions.”
 

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