Punjab Govt 'accepts' most demands, farmers call off protest

Tribune News Service

Ruchika M Khanna
Chandigarh, April 5

Keeping farmers in Punjab in humour is seemingly the prime agenda of the new Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government. The very first farmers’ protest at Muktsar, held soon after the Mann government took charge, ended on Tuesday with the latter reportedly accepting most of the demands by the protesting farmer and farm labourer unions.

‘50% crop loss relief’

• Govt has agreed to grant 50% crop loss relief in Muktsar on 70,000 acres @ Rs5,400/acre, said an official source
• CM has agreed to addl relief of Rs50 cr to farmers and Rs5 cr to labourers working on affected land, said BKU’s Ugrahan
• Relief will also be given for crop damage in Muktsar due to brackish water and hailstorm after special girdawari

With wheat harvest having started and procurement of grains picking up in mandis, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann is reportedly going to some mandis on Wednesday to check the purchase process.

He also wants to get first-hand feedback on his government’s initiative on providing ‘J-forms’ digitally to farmers, thus reducing dependence on arhtiyas.

His visit gains significance as it is after several years that a CM is going to the grain markets. Generally, this is left to senior officers.

The meeting held today with the largest farmer union of Punjab, Bhartiya Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan), wherein most of their demands have been accepted, has also set the tone for the relationship that the new government wants to have with the farmer unions, who of late are considered a “politically volatile” segment. The AAP has come to power riding high on its support to protesting farmers, who were on a yearlong dharna at the Delhi borders.

Though the government has not given any official confirmation, official sources said they had agreed to grant 50 per cent compensation for the crop loss in entire Muktsar district (for 70,000 acres, @Rs 5,400 per acre). Members of the union and Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union had reportedly protested denial of crop compensation to many farmers and had even locked up Revenue Department officials on March 28. The next day, police force was reportedly used on protesters to end the protest. The farmers had been on an indefinite dharna since then.

The government had earlier released Rs 101 crore to farmers for their crop loss caused by pink bollworm attack, within three days of coming to power last month.

Joginder Singh Ugrahan, president of the union, said the CM had agreed to give additional compensation of Rs 50 crore to farmers and Rs 5 crore to farm labourers employed for crop cultivation on the affected land.

He said they also demanded action against the then Muktsar DC and Malout DSP for the use of force on protesting farmers, and withdrawal of cases registered against farmers. “Compensation will be awarded to the cultivator of the crop,” confirmed Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan, general secretary of the union.

He added the CM also agreed to compensation for crop damage because of brackish water in Muktsar, and for damage to crops because of hailstorm after a special girdawari.

Lachman Singh Sewewal of the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union said the CM also agreed to remove the conditions for compensation only to farmers who have electricity meter installed; and, grant of relief for crops on

up to five acres of land.

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