CM Mann urges farmers to spend less on marriages

Tribune News Service

Manav Mander

Ludhiana, September 23

Roads of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) were clogged with fleet of cars and swarms of farmers, who came along with their families to attend kisan mela and pashu palan mela, being held after a gap of two years.

Inaugurating the mela, chief guest Bhagwant Mann, Chief Minister of Punjab, said, “This is a historic mela. I have been coming to this mela when nobody knew me. I have come here as an artist. Now, I am here as Chief Minister.”

The Chief Minister (CM) also called on farmers to reduce expenditure on marriages as it was a huge economic burden on families of brides and groomes. Marriages must be solemnised in a simple way, the CM said. He reiterated commitment of his government to make Punjab a drug-free state.

Delighted to see the mammoth gathering of farmers at mela, Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, called upon farmers to sow university recommended varieties for higher yield and profitability and diversify their cropping pattern by sowing horticultural crop for income enhancement.

During mela, five progressive farmers, including one farm woman were felicitated. Satpal Singh Toor (Sawadi Kalan village, Ludhiana district) and Sardar Amritpal Singh Randhawa (Fuglana village, Hoshiarpur district) were conferred with “Parvasi Bharti Awards 2022” for excellence in crop diversification.

Satnam Singh (Burj Tharoar village, Bathinda district) was honoured with “Surjit Singh Dhillon Award 2022” for taking strides in agriculture as a small farmer and Manjit Singh (Karanghana village, Mansa district) was felicitated with “Sardar Ujaggar Singh Dhaliwal Memorial Award 2022” for excellence in vegetable cultivation. Veerpal Kaur (Romana Albail Singh village, Jaiton tehsil, Faridkot district) was awarded “State Awardee Sardarni Jagbir Kaur Memorial Award 2022” for gaining recognition in allied agri-occupations.

Besides, “Bhai Babu Singh Brar Sarvotam Chappar Award 2022” was presented to Ransinh Kalan village, Nihal Singh Wala block, Moga district.

Apart from this, four PAU scientists Dr Sandeep Singh, Dr JS Brar, Dr KBS Gill and Dr Narinderpal Singh were honoured for their contributions to agriculture.

Meanwhile, GADVASU honoured Balwinder Singh in cattle farming category, JatinderPal Singh in poultry farming category and Satnam Singh in value addition of livestock produce.

CM Mann also visited different stalls of GADVASU and showed keen interest in livestock. He said dairy farming gave daily earnings. He conversed with different farmers and discussed farming issues with them.

An earnest endeavour by the College of Fisheries was the stall, which displayed various types of fish, duckweed cultivation and integration of fish farming with other livestock farming. People inquired about fisheries profession, ornamental fish and saline water fisheries. Value added products of the college were also displayed on their stall for sale.

Farmers not allowed to enter pandal

After Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann entered the main venue of the mela, nobody was allowed to enter pandal. Satkar Singh from Mansa said, “I came all the way to listen to the CM. Now, I am told that I cannot enter pandal.” Another farmer said what kind of aam aadmi was the CM as farmers, who were common men, were not allowed to enter the venue.

‘Legalise poppy husk farming’

While CM Bhagwant Mann was addressing gathering at mela venue from stage, a few farmers were waiting near pandal carrying placards and urging the government to legalise farming of poppy husk. Gurjit Kaur from Fatehgarh Sahib district said during elections AAP had promised to legalise farming of poppy husk but nothing had been done till date. “I have seen my near and dear ones losing their lives to drugs. Legalising of poppy husk farming will save youth, who are getting hooked to synthetic drugs. Opium and poppy husk don’t harm body as other drugs do,” she said.

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