‘Don’t block roads, rail tracks’: Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann appeals to farm unions

Tribune News Service

Chamkaur Sahib, October 3

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has appealed to farm unions not to block roads and railway tracks while pressing for acceptance of their demands. The Chief Minister, who was here to formally kickstart paddy procurement operations in the state, said such blockades during agitations create problems for public.

Mann said he was always available for dialogue on any problem of farmers. “I am also ready to accompany them for talks with the Centre on issues related to the Union government,” he added.

Meanwhile, for the current kharif season, a procurement target of 182.10 lakh metric tonnes (MT) has been set by the state government. Of this, 173 lakh MT will be purchased by the state agencies.

“Till yesterday, 68,000 MT of paddy has arrived in the state markets, which is 48 per cent more than what had arrived last year in the first two days of procurement,” he added.

Urging the farmers to stop the cultivation of PUSA-44 and other water-guzzling varieties of paddy, Mann said the state government had already decided to ban these varieties from next season.

He said that the state government had ample funds in the state disaster relief fund to compensate for the damage caused by floods and the victims were being disbursed the relief.

Mann further said that Punjab had already received a cash credit limit of Rs 37,000 crore for the ensuing paddy season before commissioning of the procurement.

Appealing to farmers to shun the practice of stubble burning, the chief minister said that a new equipment was being given to farmers for in situ and ex situ management of the crop residue. He said the state government had already mandated for brick-kilns to use stubble as fuel. Mann asked the Union government to provide remunerative solutions to farmers to stop them from practising stubble burning.

He said the state had received three lakh MT of DAP, which will help farmers in the rabi season.

He added that the area under basmati cultivation had increased by 21 per cent.

Besides cabinet minister Lal Chand Kataruchak, Chamkaur Sahib MLA Charanjit Singh Channi and Ropar MLA Dinesh Chadha were also present on the occasion.

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