Chandigarh December 6:
Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal came down heavily against the center's announcement that it would not give any bonus on paddy and wheat this year.
Mr. Badal demanded a minimum bonus of Rs.150 per quintal on the purchase of paddy for this year's procurement season, adding that this had become imperative as the farmers had braved severe natural odds to ensure that the targets for national food security were met.
The Deputy Chief Minster also assailed the statement of the Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar that the center would no longer provide any incentives on paddy in Punjab and Haryana because of its negative impact on the water table in this region. In a statement here, Mr Badal said that while Punjab government was fully seized of the problem of falling water table, it wanted the center to come forth with a long term procurement and pricing policy on alternative crops.
He said that that the incentives even as these existed were inadequate and needed to be hiked. The statement of the Union Agriculture Minister is not only indicative of the anti-farmer mindset of the Union Government but was also fraught with grave implications for the food security in the country. To dispense with these meager incentives without putting in place a proper procurement and pricing buffer for non-traditional crops such as pulses and oil seeds would not only be ill-advised but positively disastrous for the farmers", Mr Badal said.
Punjab Deputy Chief Minister and Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal came down heavily against the center's announcement that it would not give any bonus on paddy and wheat this year.
Mr. Badal demanded a minimum bonus of Rs.150 per quintal on the purchase of paddy for this year's procurement season, adding that this had become imperative as the farmers had braved severe natural odds to ensure that the targets for national food security were met.
The Deputy Chief Minster also assailed the statement of the Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar that the center would no longer provide any incentives on paddy in Punjab and Haryana because of its negative impact on the water table in this region. In a statement here, Mr Badal said that while Punjab government was fully seized of the problem of falling water table, it wanted the center to come forth with a long term procurement and pricing policy on alternative crops.
He said that that the incentives even as these existed were inadequate and needed to be hiked. The statement of the Union Agriculture Minister is not only indicative of the anti-farmer mindset of the Union Government but was also fraught with grave implications for the food security in the country. To dispense with these meager incentives without putting in place a proper procurement and pricing buffer for non-traditional crops such as pulses and oil seeds would not only be ill-advised but positively disastrous for the farmers", Mr Badal said.
