CM: Made all-out efforts, 'defaming' Punjab for Delhi pollution ironic

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Chandigarh, November 24

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann today said that the government was making all-out efforts to check the menace of stubble burning in the state. He added that it was strange to note that despite all efforts, the state was being blamed for deteriorating AQI index in the national Capital.

Mann said it was ironic that the state was being “defamed without any reason”. The CM advocated incentivising farmers for not burning paddy straw and promotion of crop diversification. He said farmers should be given MSP for alternative crops to supplement their income.

Mann asked the Centre to stop “refrain from threatening farmers” by ending the MSP regime on paddy. He added that instead of this, the Centre must intervene and find a viable mechanism to the menace.

Mann said Punjab had played a vital role in making the country self-reliant in food production and the Centre should desist from “abandoning” hardworking and resilient farmers of the state on this issue. He added that the MPs of AAP would raise these issues related to the state in the ensuing session of the Parliament.