Farm unions meet Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann, seek Rs 500/quintal extra for poor yield

Tribune News Service

Sanjeev Singh Bariana
Chandigarh, April 17

Facing crop loss due to adverse weather, farmer leaders today, at two separate meetings with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, sought a compensation of Rs 500 per quintal on the wheat being procured by government agencies.

Talking to The Tribune, Krantikari Kisan Union president Darshan Pal said, “CM Mann assured us that the government is looking into the minutes of the issue, and that details will be shared with the Centre for appropriate relief.”

Mann had a meeting with the representatives of the Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan), represented by president Joginder Ugrahan, vice-president Jhanda Singh Jehtuke and secretary Shingara Singh Mann. The CM later met a Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) delegation, comprising, among others, Darshan Pal, Jagjit Singh Dallewal, Surjit Singh Phul, Harinder Singh Lakhowal and Baldev Singh Sirsa.

“We submitted a 23-point demand paper to the Chief Minister. Stopping the installation of electricity meters with chips and giving jobs to the kin of farmers who died by suicide during the farm agitation are our key demands,” said Darshan Pal.

BKU secretary Shingara Mann said they pointed out to the CM that farmers in large numbers had planted maize, “but they got disheartened after being denied the MSP”.

The CM said the state would take up with the Centre the issue of promoting less water-consuming crops, including sugarcane, maize, pulses and oilseeds. He also asked the union representatives to encourage farmers to sow basmati as it was less water-intensive and fetched higher remuneration compared to paddy.

Mann exhorted the farmers to go in for ‘direct seeding of rice’ technology during the kharif season instead of traditional transplantation method. He also proposed staggered power supply during the paddy season.

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