(MOREPIC1) Raj Sadosh/Abohar.
Former union minister and Bathinda MP Harsimrat Kaur Badal today said women folk had been most discriminated against in the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) regime with their social welfare benefits being struck down even as the promise to give them Rs 1,000 per month was not honoured.
Mrs Badal was speaking to newsmen after distributing 129 sewing machines as part of the Nanhi Chhaan initiative in Tappa Khera village near Lambi.
The Bathinda MP said the Shagun scheme which was started by former chief minister Parkash Singh Badal had been discontinued. “Women are facing great financial stress due to curtailment of the old age pension scheme as well as the atta daal scheme with lakhs of blue cards which entitle recipients to subsidised flour being scrapped”.
Mrs Badal said on top of that AAP did not honour its word to give Rs 1,000 per month to all women in the State. “It has been 22 months since the AAP government was formed. Women are eligible for a deposit of Rs 22,000 each in their accounts. This must be given to them at the earliest”.
The Bathinda MP also highlighted how the AAP government was discriminating against farmers. She said the government had failed to pay compensation for three crop losses. “Bhagwant Mann used to say he would deposit Rs 20,000 in farmer accounts before the conduct of girdawari but now farmers are not getting any compensation whatsoever despite grandiose claims”. She said farmers in Punjab were also being denied the Rs 2,000 annual central grant simply because the chief minister had not taken up their case with the centre.
