CHANDIGARH: A six-member delegation of Tarn Taran Farmers’ Association led by its President Mr. Satnam Singh Pannu called Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal here today at Punjab Bhawan and urged him to resolve various issues related to the peasantry.
Disclosing this here today a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that while giving a patient hearing to various demands put forth by the association, Mr. Badal assured them that all their genuine demands under the preview of the state government would be addressed on priority as their government was fully committed for the welfare of farming community across the state. Mr. Badal asked the PSPCL Chief to establish a sub-division at Tarn Taran so that power related issues could be resolve swiftly at the local level without any unnecessary delay. He also assured the delegation that not even a single inch of land would be acquired without the prior consent of the land owner in the state. He also asked the district administration to immediately conduct the demarcation of the land purchased by Soma Company to inquire into the allegation of acquiring extra land of the farmer by the company.
Responding to the issues pertaining to the implementation of hike in MSP of various crops based on Swaminathan Commission report, loses due to rapid price hike in diesel etc. which were not in the preview of the state government, Mr. Badal said that the state government would recommend all these issues to the GoI. He also mentioned that it would not be the first time when the state government would raise these issues with the Union government, he added that they had been taking up these issues time to time with the Centre but of no vain. He also mentioned that it was their government that had provided ownership rights of the land to its tillers by announcing the scheme four times in the past thereby benefitting many tillers.
Regarding the protest rallies organized by various sections of the society in support of their demands, Mr. Badal said that SAD-BJP government had always upheld the ethos of democracy and different places have been earmarked in various districts for these types of rallies and protest so that no inconvenience was caused to the general public. Regarding Shagun scheme, Mr. Badal informed that at present the scheme had been regularized and advance payments were being disbursed to the district administration besides the backlog up to October, 2013 had also been cleared.
He further mentioned that government was providing 30% subsidy to various village based agro-centers on the purchase of agricultural equipment to be used on custom hiring basis by the farmers. Prominent amongst who attended the meeting included the Financial Commissioner Revenue Mr. NS Kang, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. SK Sandhu, DGP Mr. Sumedh Singh Saini, Secretary Power Mr. Anirudh Tiwari, besides other officers of the state administration and the office bearers of the association.