MLA launches drive to help farmers

Our Correspondent

Hoshiarpur, April 18

As the Rabi season is on full swing, MLA Chabbewal, Dr Raj Kumar has taken an initiative to know and solve problems being faced by farmers. He has launched a drive ‘Mandi Vich Manji’ to help farmers and arhtiyas of his constituency. ‘Manji’, the traditional cot, is a symbol of relief after hard work and by ‘Mandi Vich Manji’ his motive is to provide farmers and other visitors, the comfort and relief at the mandi. Dr Raj visited Chabbewal mandi to take account of the arrangements and initiated the drive on Wednesday.

He has spent a part of his salary to provide manjis, cold drinking water and first aid box at the mandi. One medical or para-medical staff will also be available during the daytime and an ambulance will be there for 24 hours. Dr Raj, with the help of concerned authorities, has also arranged for a fire brigade van to be stranded at Mahilpur to serve all three mandis of Chabbewal constituency, if needed.

He has given a personal helpline No on which he can be contacted any time. He said he was sure that this effort would ensure a comfortable stay in mandi for the visitors. He said,” The Chief Minister has taken a lot of initiatives to make farming a profitable one. This year farm loans worth Rs 4,250 crore will be waived off. A sum of Rs100 crore has been kept for handling crop residue. Crop diversification too is a priority on government’s agenda.”

He said for Chabbewal constituency, a loan of 1.89 crore of 357 farmers had already waived off and 30 irrigation tubewells were sanctioned.

Dr Raj also thanked Mandi Board Chairman, Lal Singh, for good management of mandis and hassle-free arrangement of wheat lifting.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Hoshiarpur Vipul Ujjawal and SDM Jatinder Jorwal were also present on the occasion. Dr Jatinder Kumar, Dr Pankaj Shiv, Dr Kharbanda SMO, Mahinder Singh Malhi, Daljit Sahota, Shivranjan Singh Sarpanch Chabbewal, Sant Parkash Sarpanch Attowal and Jaspal Singh Pandori, among others, were also present on the occasion.