Stubble burning: Amarinder hails SC order to give fiscal aid to farmers

Even as he made it clear that his government would implement the orders of the Apex Court as soon as it receives the judgement copy, the Chief Minister reiterated that the Centre would have to come to the rescue of the states, which were facing serious fiscal constraints.

While the GST regime had stifled the financial resources of all states, Punjab, in particular, was in dire straits in view of its massive debt burden, he noted.

Capt Amarinder was reacting to reports of the Supreme Court’s directives to UP, Haryana and Punjab governments to provide financial assistance within seven days to small and marginal farmers to ensure that they do not burn stubble to clean their fields.

The court’s observation, he said, had clearly vindicated his stand that the crisis was economic and needed an economic solution to address it.

Though the SC had left the amount of incentive to be paid to farmers to be determined by the respective state governments, it did take note of the observation of the high-level task force of the central government that the expenditure incurred by farmers on managing the crop residue in sutu was Rs 100 per quintal, which is the sum Captain Amarinder has also been demanding, an official spokesperson said.