Welcoming the farmer organisations’ decision to call off their ‘rail roko’ agitation, the ruling SAD-BJP combine on Tuesday said that it had created a congenial atmosphere for redressal of all problems being faced by the farmers in the State.
SAD MP Prem Singh Chandumajra and senior BJP leader and Cabinet Minister Madan Mohan Mittal, addressing a joint Press conference, said that the end of rail roko agitation would provide succour to the common man who had been severely inconvenienced for the past one week.
Asserting that peace and communal harmony were of utmost importance, the leaders urged the farmer organisations to have trust in the Government and jointly work with it to get all their pending issues resolved at the earliest.
SAD-BJP leaders also hailed Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal for taking the initiative and holding direct talks with the farmer organisations which had led to several concessions besides an assurance to take up all pending issues with the Central Government.
Chandumajra said that it was decided that henceforth all crops would be considered for relief be it fruits, vegetables or even pulses besides food grain. “The relief parameters have also been increased to take in climatic conditions, including fog. Besides, it was decided that compensation would be given to cultivators also henceforth and not only the land owners,” he said. The Akali MP said that it was also decided that a joint declaration of the SAD-BJP would meet the Prime Minister soon and apprise him about all the pending problems of the farming community.
Chandumajra disclosed that the Chief Minister had assured the organisations that all cases relating to farm labour including providing them housing and ensuring power connections to them would be taken up for redressal immediately. He said that it was also decided that all old cases against farmer leaders would be reviewed and that surveys in case of suicide deaths would be conducted at a common meeting place in the village.
Mittal, while appreciating the steps taken by the Chief Minister to mitigate the suffering of the farmers after damage to cotton due to white fly attack, said that the relief of Rs 8,000 per acre which had been given to farmers was the highest in the country.
He also lauded the decision to urge the Central Government to form a Basmati Trading Corporation to ensure farmers get a fair price for their basmati crop.