Farmers go all out to woo labourers

Aman Sood

Tribune News Service

Patiala, June 14

Even as the paddy transplanting season begins today, farmers are battling a shortage of migrant labourers and regular power supply.

With assures income under MNREGA in their home states, farmers are finding it hard to transplant paddy even though they are offering liquor to sweeten the deal with the migrants, feels Gaya Ram, a lalbourer in Raungla village.

Farmers are also skeptical of eight-hour power supply, despite assurances by the Punjab State Power Corporation Limited (PSPCL) that all arrangements are in place.

More than five lakh labourers descend on the state for transplanting 28 lakh hectares of paddy.

The area under paddy has come down from roughly 30.46 lakh hectares during the last season to 28.45 lakh hectares now. While the farmers are busy looking for migrants, these labourers are hard to find and are demanding Rs 2,800 per acre in addition to ration, liquor and stay. However, given the fight against drugs, farmers are not offering opium, bhang and ganja to the labour now.

“I have found 20 labourers for my fields at Rs 2,800 in addition to 5 kg flour, 5 kg rice and other rations. Further we have offered all liquor twice a week,” said Rathiyan village landlord Sukhjit Singh.

“Once it rains, the rates would go up higher as farmers want to get paddy transplanted at the earliest,” he claimed.

Meanwhile, the average demand for power during the paddy season in 2016 was 2,261 lakh units per day which was met without taking any regulatory measures for any category of consumer.

“Keeping this in mind, we expect a 10 per cent rise this year as around 1 lakh tubewells have been added this fiscal,” said officials.

“In a major respite ahead of the paddy season, the commissioning of one unit of 2x9 MW Mukerian Hydel Stage-II Project would generate an additional generation of 1.93 lakh units of electricity per day and which will reduce power purchase of Rs 6.80 lakh per day,” said A Venu Prasad, CMD, PSPCL. “We are committed to provide eight hour supply to farmers and all arrangements are in place,” he added.

The PSPCL has already floated tenders for purchasing 600 MW (if needed) from the Northern corridor at Rs 3.16 per unit, while it also has the option of buying 600 to 1,000 MW from the western corridor at Rs 2.68 per unit. Since generating our own power costs Rs 3.60 per unit, the PSPCL usually buys power to save costs. The Talwandi Sabo thermal plant, which had developed a snag last month, is expected to be functional by June 25 and would supply 1,980 MW, he said.