Arvind Kejriwal’s BIG promise for Gujarat polls: ‘Will waive farm loans if...'

New Delhi: AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal, on Friday September 2, has promised a farm loan waiver if his party forms government in Gujarat after the upcoming polls. He said that if voted to power in the state, AAP will also create a mechanism to buy produce from farmers at a Minimum Support Price (MSP). As issued by AAP earlier, Kejriwal was to announce a “major pre-poll guarantee” in Dwarka town on his two-day Gujarat visit commencing today onwards.

In his address to farmers at Dwarka town of Devbhumi Dwarka district, the Delhi Chief Minister also promised to conduct a fresh survey of land as farmers were unhappy with the survey conducted recently by the BJP government. 

"Though MSP is announced every year, farm produce is not sold at that price. It is my guarantee that our government will buy at MSP if farmers do not find any other buyer who is willing to buy their produce at MSP. We will start with five farm produce such as wheat and paddy, and then add more," said Kejriwal in his address. 

Without elaborating, the Delhi CM also promised a loan waiver for Gujarat farmers under an AAP government. "I learnt that farmers in Gujarat get electricity at night to irrigate their fields. If the AAP is voted to power, we will give electricity during the day, that too for 12 hours. We will also cancel the land survey done by this government and order a re-survey" said Kejriwal. On the lines of Delhi, Gujarat farmers will get a compensation of Rs 20,000 per acre in case of crop loss due to various calamities, he promised. 

The AAP leader has so far announced several pre-poll “guarantees” including free electricity up to 300 units, an unemployment allowance of Rs 3,000, ten lakh government jobs, free and quality healthcare, free education in state-run schools and a Rs 1,000 allowance for women.

Elections in BJP-ruled Gujarat are scheduled for the end of the year. The AAP supremo began his visit by addressing to a gathering in Dwarka. Later that evening, he would pray at the famous Dwarkadheesh temple. On Saturday, he would be at Surendranagar, Saurashtra, for a meeting of rural sarpanchas. He will then attend a town hall meeting with Village Computer Entrepreneurs (VCEs), who operate in eGram centres. The Delhi Chief Minister has visited Gujarat several times in recent months.

(With PTI inputs)