Jalandhar April 10:
Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal has urged Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to announce Rs 100 per quintal as bonus on wheat which is to be procured for the central pool.
“I had a meeting with Pawar in Delhi. I told him clearly that the payment of Rs 50 per quintal as bonus on wheat would not be enough. Keeping in view various factors, farmers should be given Rs 100 per quintal as bonus in addition to the minimum support price”, Bhattal said.
Bhattal said Pawar had given an assurance that the Centre would take a decision in this regard soon. “As Assembly elections are under way in some states, the Centre may have to seek the permission of the Election Commission of India before announcing the bonus. But I am hopeful that the commission will give the permission because the elections are being held mostly in non-wheat growing states”, said Bhattal.
She said that because of efforts made by her, the Centre had announced a Rs 1,000 crore project to tame the Ghaggar river, which had been creating problems for people in Patiala, Sangrur, Mansa and other areas almost every monsoon . She said the states concerned would have to make only a minor contribution in the project. Bhattal said there was now hope that the issues related to the Ghaggar would be resolved.
Leader of the Opposition and former Chief Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal has urged Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to announce Rs 100 per quintal as bonus on wheat which is to be procured for the central pool.
“I had a meeting with Pawar in Delhi. I told him clearly that the payment of Rs 50 per quintal as bonus on wheat would not be enough. Keeping in view various factors, farmers should be given Rs 100 per quintal as bonus in addition to the minimum support price”, Bhattal said.
Bhattal said Pawar had given an assurance that the Centre would take a decision in this regard soon. “As Assembly elections are under way in some states, the Centre may have to seek the permission of the Election Commission of India before announcing the bonus. But I am hopeful that the commission will give the permission because the elections are being held mostly in non-wheat growing states”, said Bhattal.
She said that because of efforts made by her, the Centre had announced a Rs 1,000 crore project to tame the Ghaggar river, which had been creating problems for people in Patiala, Sangrur, Mansa and other areas almost every monsoon . She said the states concerned would have to make only a minor contribution in the project. Bhattal said there was now hope that the issues related to the Ghaggar would be resolved.
