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Punjab farmer's agitation to continue, Badal non-comittal on demands

October 13, 2015 12:02 PM

Punjab News Express
CHANDIGARH: The agitation farmers of Punjab have decided to continue their rail blockade agitation after the talks with Chiewf Minister Parkash Singh Badal reached at dead end. Badal has remained non-committal on demands and reminded the farmers achievements of his government during last eight years.

In a statement issued late evening yesterday Chief Minister howebver said that SAD-BJP government was and shall ever be committed for the welfare of farmers and farm labourers ins tate. He listed several welfare schemes including free power for farmers, payment of sugar cane arrears by cooperative and private mills and compensation of Rs.3 lakh to farmers who are committing suicides.

Badal on Monday met the representatives of coordination committee of 18 farmer and farm labour unions here at Punjab Bhawan and he made no commitment on main demand of paying Rs.40, 000 per acre compensation per acre for cotton crop damage. He said that he would take up these issues with the center since many things are not in the ambit of state government.

Badal told the farmer unions that thet were fully conscious that agriculture was no longer a profitable venture and categorically stated that whenever the farmers had been confronted with any problem or hardship. Badal said that the Akali-BJP Government, since 2007 has provided free power to farmers worth Rs.28000 Cr., otherwise their problems would have been accentuated manifold if they had to pay electricity bills of tube-wells from their own pocket.

He pointed out Rs.4900 Cr alone had been earmarked for giving free power to energize tube-wells in the current year besides fulfilling its promise to give 8 hours un-interrupted power supply to the farmers. He said another 1.25 lac tube-wells would be given to the farmers during this year.

Badal also informed that the Akali-BJP Government purchased additional power worth Rs.1400 Cr. to overcome drought like conditions during the paddy season in 2014. Likewise Mr. Badal pointed out that the State Government realizing the hardships faced by the farmers due to untimely rain during the harvest of wheat in 2015, ensured the lifting of every single grain of their produce.

Payment of sugar cane arrears is one of the main demands of Punjab farmers who allege that private mills are not paying arrears despite assurances given by Chief Minister. Badal said that the nine sugar mills in the government sector had already made payment to the cane growers worth Rs.540 Cr. Likewise, seven private sugar mills have already released Rs.988 Cr. out of
Rs.1133 Cr. and the balance of Rs.135 Cr. would also be released soon. Apart from this, the state government would ensure a timely payment of Rs.295 per quintal against Rs.220 fixed by the Centre to the cane growers during the crushing season of 2015-16. The Punjab Government would be paying Rs.45 per quintal directly to the farmers as the sugar mills will pay only Rs.250 per quintal due to low sugar prices.

To cope up with the recent situation arises out of extensive damage caused to cotton crop due to attack from white fly in the in the State the SAD- BJP Government immediately ordered a special girdawri for the assessment of damage and disbursed compensation to the tune of Rs 644 Cr. to the cotton farmers. The DCs have been directed to ensure that the compensation is paid to actual cultivators.

The Chief Minister said that the State Government again lent a helping hand to the farmers thereby saving them from distressed sale of basmati by impressing upon the Government of India to purchase 1509 paddy at minimum support price.

Against the demand of Rs.40, 000 er acre Badal offerred the amount of compensation under Natural Calamity Fund at the rate Rs.5400 above 33% loss from center and the Akali-BJP Government was now paying Rs.2600 from its own budget to give Rs. 8000 per acre compensation to farmers in lieu of crop loss suffered by them. He said he would appeal center to enhance compensation.

Referring to the cancellation of police cases against the agitating farmers and farm labourers as demanded by the unions, the Chief Minister said that an appropriate action would be taken at the earliest.

Likewise, he also informed the union leaders that the due compensation would be paid to 22 persons who were injured during a farmers’ agitation in Bathinda.

Chief Minister also apologised from general public and rail commuters for the inconvininece caused to them due to farmer's strike.

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