Punjab government agrees to key SKM demands

Facing pressure from farmers and farm workers protesting at the Mohali-Chandigarh border for the past six days, the Punjab Government on Sunday agreed to several key demands of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM).

The government assured the farmers that a special session of the state Assembly would be convened this month to take up issues concerning Punjab’s waters and oppose the Centre’s proposed electricity and seed legislations.

The assurances came during a nearly two-hour meeting between SKM leaders and Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian here the evening. Several demands raised by the farmers’ body were discussed.

SKM leader Balbir Singh Rajewal said the Agriculture Minister assured the delegation that a special Assembly session would be convened within a month.

“A resolution seeking repeal of Sections 78, 79 and 80 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act would be brought before the House. The government has also agreed to bring a one-time settlement policy to deal with farmers’ debt. The Assembly would also pass resolutions opposing the Centre’s proposed electricity and seed Bills and forward these to the Centre,” Rajewal said.

Another key assurance concerns the families of farmers who died during the farmers’ stir. A nodal officer would be appointed to look into pending cases relating to compensation and government jobs for the families of deceased farmers, he said.

The farmers have, however, decided that the fate of their ongoing agitation would be determined only after the government provides written assurances on all promises made during the meeting.

“We have been assured that the government will send us a written assurance by 9.30 am on Monday. We will later have our own meeting to decide how to proceed further,” said Raminder Singh Patiala, another prominent SKM leader.