Kamal Nath's stunner: Incentives only for industries with 70% local staff

BHOPAL: Farm loan waiver was a matter of when - going by post-poll statements of AICC chief Rahul Gandhi and Kamal Nath - but the real stunner the chief minister pulled off on his very first day in office was a clause to industries that they would get incentives only if they hire 70% staff from MP.
"Our schemes of providing incentives of investment will only be imposed after 70% people from MP get employment.People from states like Bihar and UP come here and local people don't get jobs. I have signed the file for this," Nath said at his first press conference as CM. He announced the opening of four garment parks in the state, and added the local jobs rider. "We have laid the first condition to generate jobs for local people and only those industries that promote jobs for locals will get incentives," the CM added.
Hours after taking oath, Nath signed off files to clear this and agri loan waiver , as promised by Rahul Gandhi. "After taking over, the first file I signed was the promise we have made in our Vachan Patra (manifesto) to farmers that loans up to Rs 2 lakh will be waived. I signed this file to keep the promise of Congress," Nath told reporters. Rahul had promised that farm loans will be written off within 10 days of forming the government.
The Congress government immediately issued a notification stating that the administration has decided to write off short-term loan of eligible farmers drawn from nationalized and cooperative banks up to the limit of Rs 2 lakh as on March 31, 2018. CM Nath said the benefit will be given from the current year. At least 34 lakh farmers will benefit and the move will would cost the exchequer Rs 35,000 crore to Rs 38,000 crore, said officials of the agriculture department.
The CM said: "When banks write off loans of big industries and industrialists, often 40%-50%, then no economist raises any question. But when farm loan is waived, they cry with pain. Economists give lectures on revenue loss but I think they do not know about farmers, farms and villages. Banks must consider this," said Nath, adding that the government has decided to increase assistance to women under Kanyadaan Yojana from Rs 28,000 to Rs 51,000.
On the decision not to allow RSS shakhas in government offices, he said it was based on a decision by the central and Gujarat governments. "There is nothing new," he said.