Expressing serious concern over the threat to the state’sagriculture as a result of the ‘disruption caused by the three new Farm Laws’,Punjab Chief Minister Captain Amarinder Singh on Saturday urged Prime MinisterNarendra Modi to ensure urgent resolution of the ongoing farm unrest by theCentre “to the satisfaction of the protesting farmers by addressing all theirgrievances.”
Calling for the fullest respect for the `Annadaata, theChief Minister, through his speech, submitted for the virtual meeting of the Niti Aayog, reiterated his government’sstand that Agriculture is a State subject and law-making on it should be leftto the States in the true spirit of “cooperative federalism” enshrined in theConstitution. In this context, he pointed to the state amendments alreadypassed to the central legislations by the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in October 2020.
Captain Amarinder could not attend the meeting as he was indisposed.
The Chief Minister asserted, in his speech, that anyreform that is sought to be introduced in a sector subsuming almost 60% of thecountry’s workforce must be done only through a process of extensiveconsultation with all the stakeholders, of which Punjab is a key stakeholder,being at the forefront of ensuring food security for the country.
Citing strong apprehension among farmers of the Statethat the Minimum Support Price based procurement regime through FoodCorporation of India (or agencies on its behalf), introduced as part of foodsecurity measures in the 1960s, may be discontinued in view of the Shanta KumarCommittee Report of 2015, the Chief Minister also stressed the need for theGovernment if India to decisively dispel any such impression “to instill properconfidence in the farmers of the State.”
The Chief Minister also used the forum to once againreiterated the state government’s demand for bonus of Rs 100/quintal of paddyprocured as “Paddy Straw Management Compensation”, which can be used forpurchase or rental of new equipment, attaining the skills for efficient use,and to reduce cost of operation and maintenance. He requested the GoI toprovide Rs 5 crore per MW financial support for Biomass Power Projects and Rs.3.5 cr per MW for Biomass Solar Hybrid Projects to the state as Viability GapFund (VGF) to help alleviate the effects of paddy straw burning through ex-situutilization of available paddy straw with good returns to the farmers.
Underlining the importance of aligning the croppingsystem to agro-climatic conditions at the district level for optimum use ofresources, Captain Amarinder called upon the Government of India to designateagencies to procure and provide MSP matching the returns of wheat and paddy inorder to incentivize the farmers to take up cultivation of alternate crops andthereby achieve diversification and save precious water. He also sought CentralGovernment’s support and liberal financial assistance to facilitate the state’sprogrammes and schemes for diversification towards nutri-cereals, pulses,horticulture, fisheries and animal husbandry.
The importance of water conservation was also highlightedby the Chief Minister, who requested the Government of India to considerPunjab’s pilot project – ‘Pani Bachao Paisa Kamao (PBPK)’ – as a nationalproject, for which a feasibility report amounting to Rs 433.00 crore hasalready been submitted by the state to the Central Water Commission. He furthersought from the Central Government a Deficiency Price Support for alternativecrops like Maize, in order to encourage farmers to diversify out of thewater-intensive Paddy crop.
The Chief Minister also urged the central government todevise a cluster development scheme, on the lines of the MSME sector, for theFood Processing Sector for creating ‘Common Facilities’ in every Agri Clusterwhich will supplement the 3 Mega Food Parks established in the State.