The Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) on Saturday announced that it would submit memorandums to deputy commissioners in the State on May 9 to demand farmers be compensated to the tune of Rs 500 per quintal for low wheat yields even it demanded an immediate review of the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government's decision to delay paddy transplantation up to June 24 by dividing the State into three zones.
The SAD also demanded the AAP government adopt a triple sharing formula to make Punjab farmers debt free by distributing the debt among farmers, State government and the loaning agency. It said Lok Adalats should be created for this purpose.
Addressing a press conference here, senior SAD leaders Prem Singh Chandumajra and Daljit Singh Cheema accused the AAP government of lying on the issue of providing permanent employment by releasing the orders of the State finance minister dated May 2 approving outsourcing of 1337 posts in PUNBUS. The leaders said the AAP government had betrayed the youth of the State within two months of taking over the reins of power. Giving details, Chandumajra said the government decision to divide Punjab into three zones for the purpose of paddy transplantation and allow transplantation only after June 24 in the third zone would spell disaster for the State. He said farmers should not be penalized for mismanagement of power supply by the AAP government. “If paddy transplantation is delayed inordinately it will not only result in more moisture and losses for farmers but also delay the next wheat sowing season”, he said while demanding the government take back this decision immediately.
Chandumajra also highlighted how farmers were being denied compensation for loss of wheat crop due to rains and hail storm despite completion of the girdwari process even though chief minister Bhagwant Mann had announced the compensation would be released without doing any girdawari. He also demanded the State take up the issue of granting compensation at the rate of Rs 500 per quintal to farmers for loss of wheat yields by getting the case approved as one of natural calamity by the centre. He said the State should also release Rs 250 per quintal compensation to farmers from the excess money collected by way of State VAT on petrol and diesel.
Meanwhile the SAD also asked the State to compensate farm suicide victim families immediately saying it was condemnable that no government functionary of minister had even visited the families to provide solace to them.