The prolonged standoff between the Punjab Government and agitating farmers demanding an increase in sugarcane prices has finally come to a resolution on Friday following a meeting between the two sides.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann announced the breakthrough after a productive 90-minute meeting with the farmer union leaders at Chandigarh. The aftermath of the agreement included the clearance of the railway track in Jalandhar, and the main highway is expected to be unblocked.
Mann, addressing the media after the meeting, termed the meeting as “successful” while refraining from disclosing the State Advised Price (SAP) for sugarcane agreed upon. He mentioned that a subsequent meeting with sugar mill owners is scheduled for Saturday, underscoring the necessity of their cooperation for the proposed hike in SAP. Currently, six private sugar mills in Punjab contribute to 70 per cent of sugarcane crushing.
Initially, the State Government had proposed raising the SAP from Rs 380 per quintal to Rs 388 per quintal. The Chief Minister assured a proactive approach, noting that an official announcement regarding the resolution would be made after consultations with all stakeholders, including sugar mill owners. Punjab has 16 sugar mills, of which nine are government-owned and seven are private.
Addressing the ongoing issue of stubble burning and Punjab being unfairly blamed for it, Mann called upon the Prime Minister Narendra Modi to convene a meeting with representatives from all north Indian states to collectively find a solution. He emphasized that stubble burning is prevalent in central states like Madhya Pradesh and dismissed the singling out of Punjab.
“We will make the announcement after holding meetings with other stakeholders. We specifically talked about disrupting rail and road traffic. All unions have agreed that people will not be made to suffer because of protests. The farmers will get good news in the coming days. I am not announcing it today. The government will announce it soon,” said Mann.
Earlier this week, the protesting farmers had blocked the Jalandhar-New Delhi National Highway, causing significant traffic disruptions, including ambulances and commuters facing delays of up to four hours. Mann acknowledged the inconvenience caused and expressed relief that the farmers had agreed to lift the dharnas, ensuring that such situations would be avoided in the future.
Regarding accusations of the government succumbing to the pressure of unions, Mann clarified that it was not a “war” and that the farmers had promised to lift the dharnas. He reiterated the importance of avoiding situations where the public faces hardships due to protests.
The Chief Minister also highlighted the state's efforts to clear pending dues of sugarcane farmers, mentioning that government-owned mills had been settled, with only two private mills having outstanding payments. He commended Punjab for having the best SAP of Rs 380, which was recently surpassed by Haryana.
Mann also affirmed the State Government's commitment to providing the highest rates to sugarcane cultivators. He announced that the government had cleared all pending arrears of sugarcane farmers inherited from previous administrations, demonstrating a dedication to the welfare of the farming community.
The Chief Minister unequivocally expressed his disapproval of causing inconvenience to the public through protests, emphasizing that dialogue and negotiation were essential for issue resolution. He acknowledged the affirmative response from farmer unions to lift rail and road blockades for the greater public interest.
Addressing the issue of stubble burning, Mann advocated for incentivizing farmers for not burning paddy straw and promoting crop diversification. He urged the Central Government to provide Minimum Support Price (MSP) for alternative crops, thus supplementing farmers' income and encouraging sustainable farming practices.
The Chief Minister also cautioned the Union Government against threatening farmers to end the MSP regime on paddy. Instead, he suggested that the Union Government intervene and find a viable mechanism to stop burning paddy straw, which he termed as a problem for entire northern and central India.
Mann quipped that if Prime Minister Modi could boast of solving the ongoing crisis between Russia and Ukraine, then addressing the issue of stubble burning in India should be comparably manageable. He underscored the need for the Prime Minister to consider this a relatively small issue in saving the environment of the country.
The Chief Minister expressed hope that Members of Parliament from the Aam Aadmi Party would raise the issues related to Punjab in the ensuing session of the Parliament. He reiterated his commitment to the holistic development of Punjab, emphasizing that every action of the State Government was aimed at ensuring the well-being of the people.
As the state gears up for the upcoming Vidhan Sabha session, the Chief Minister hinted at an upward revision of sugarcane prices after consulting with mill owners.
In a subsequent development, protesting farmers in Jalandhar, seeking an increase in SAP for sugarcane crops, ended their dharna on highways and rail tracks after a meeting with the Chief Minister. The consensus reached in the meeting prompted the farmers to initiate the removal of blockades, allowing the resumption of vehicular movement.
Chief Minister Mann reflected on the efforts made by the State Government to clear the legacy arrears of sugarcane farmers, highlighting the unprecedented step taken for the welfare of the farming community. He acknowledged the pivotal role of Punjab in making the country self-reliant in food production and urged the Union government to refrain from abandoning the hardworking farmers.
At the same time, Mann categorically stated that his Government's doors were open for dialogue with any section of society, but he condemned the harassment of the common man under the pretext of protests. He emphasized the need to check this trend to prevent inconvenience to the public during protests.
