Chandigarh: Member Legislative Assembly (MLA) from Kharar and senior Aam Adami Party (AAP) leader Kanwar Sandhu on Monday issued a notice of privilege against state Finance Minister Manpreet Badal for misleading the house over the question of payment of dues amounting Rs 46 crores to the sugarcane growers (farmers). As during the zero hour Kanwar Sandhu maintained that he was asking about the payments outstanding for the current season, whereas the information given by Finance Minister payments being released by the government pertains to last year’s crushing season.
Thereby Kanwar Sandhu has released a copy of ‘Notice of Privilege’ to the media in which he has question the data provided by Manpreet Badal during the ongoing budget session.
I hereby give notice of privilege against the Finance Minister for committing Contempt of the House by misleading it on the question of payment of sugarcane growers on March 26, 2018. The Finance Minister has stated that all arrears amountingto Rs.46 Crores have been released to sugarcane growers by the Punjab Government. I may state that the Rs. 46 Crores that the FM is talking about pertain to the last crushing season, while I raised the issue of arrears of this current season during Zero Hour.
I may state that the meaning of “arrears”, as commonly understood, is “outstanding payments/dues”.
I would like to state that there are total of nine state co-operativeSugar Mills.Of these seven mills owe about Rs. 230.45 Crores as on 21.03.2018. To be precise, the outstanding amount due from each of the co-operative mills is as follows:-
- Morinda Mill 63.51 Crores
- NawanShahar Mill 21.92 Crores
- Bullowal Mill 30.84 Crores
- Gurdaspur Mill 29.79 Crores
- Ajnala Mill 32.46 Crores
- Nakodar Mill 31.93 Crore
- Bhogur Mill 19.97 Crore
Details of Fazilka and BatalaCo-operative Mills are not known. However, the total outstanding of all nine co-operative and private mills for this season alone would be in access of Rs. 300 Crores.
The Minister while stating that all arrears have been cleared has committed a breach of Privilege as per Rule 252 of Rules of Procedure and Conduct of Business of Punjab VidhanSabha.Hence, I give this Notice of Privilege.
(Kanwar Sandhu)
MLA Kharar