BJP Punjab Mahila Morcha President Jai Inder Kaur Slams Punjab Government’s Inaction on Farmer Issues
Kanwar Inder Singh/ royalpatiala.in News/ October 15,2024
BJP Punjab Mahila Morcha President Jai Inder Kaur today lambasted the Punjab government, led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, for its gross negligence in addressing critical concerns of farmers, resulting in widespread distress in the mandis.
“The Punjab government’s incompetence has led to this crisis. Bhagwant Mann’s administration has failed to provide essential support to farmers, compromising their livelihoods. The government’s inaction is shocking, especially when farmers are struggling to make ends meet,” said Jai Inder Kaur.
Punjab, the breadbasket of India, contributes up to 45% of the paddy required for the country’s Public Distribution System (PDS). However, the state’s farmers are facing severe challenges due to the government’s apathy.
The Punjab government has ignored critical issues affecting farmers, including the failure to conduct trial milling for the new variety of PR 126 paddy during the actual harvesting season. Trials were conducted by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) during the dry months, whereas harvesting takes place between October and November, and milling occurs from December to March, which are colder months. This discrepancy has led to concerns about the variety’s suitability for the region.
Furthermore, rice millers have pointed out that the PR 126 paddy variety has an intrinsic defect of broken grains, resulting in a lower rice yield of around 5kg per quintal. The “lower than specified” out-turn ratio would force them to buy rice from the open market at their own cost to meet the required 67% rice supply of the total paddy sent for milling.
The situation has become even more critical as farmers bring in a bumper crop for procurement, but Arthiyas have refused to procure, causing an impasse and hindering the crucial paddy season. This has resulted in significant distress to farmers, who are already struggling to make ends meet.
“It is appalling that the government has not prioritized farmers’ welfare. Instead of addressing these critical issues, the CM is busy acting as chauffeur to Arvind Kejriwal. We demand immediate action to address these concerns and ensure fair procurement practices,” Jai Inder Kaur added.
Jai Inder Kaur demanded that the Punjab government take immediate action to address these issues, including conducting trial milling for PR 126, increasing covered storage space for rice delivery, implementing measures to support farmers, and addressing the struggles of the rice milling industry.
BJP Punjab Mahila Morcha President Jai Inder Kaur Slams Punjab Government’s Inaction on Farmer Issues. “The people of Punjab, particularly farmers, deserve better. It’s time for the government to take responsibility and act. We will continue to raise our voice until the government addresses these critical issues,” Jai Inder Kaur concluded.
ALSO READ
CM slams Bajwa for misleading Punjabis with his ‘half baked knowledge’
