Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Monday met the Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his long wish-list demanding immediate implementation of the Swaminathan formula. Besides, Badal also demanded industrial tax concessions at par with neighbouring hill States, strengthening of State Police under modernisation plan, among other things.
Advocating making agriculture occupation far more profitable and economically viable, Badal urged the Prime Minister to immediately implement the Swaminathan formula for determining the MSP of crops.
Badal pleaded for MSP to be fixed according to the guidelines stipulated by eminent agriculture economist Dr MS Swaminathan thus allowing the farmers to get MSP which should cover production costs plus 50 per cent as profit, hoping that it would help to bail out distressed peasantry from the current agrarian crisis. He said that the central agency — Food Corporation of India (FCI) — should procure maize and sunflower on the pattern of wheat and paddy at MSP.
The CM, flagging up another issue to convert Crop Diversification program to Agriculture Diversification, impressed upon Modi that the States should be allowed to implement agriculture diversification program realising the ground realities and local needs.
He also requested him to strengthen and expand this program to cover not only crop diversification but also allied and subsidiary occupations such as dairy, fisheries, piggery, fruit and vegetables cultivation and processing and bee-keeping.
To ensure overall development and prosperity in the livestock sector across the State, Badal requested the PM to declare animal husbandry and allied agriculture activities like dairy, piggery, goatry, fishery, bee keeping etc at par with agriculture for exemption of Income Tax, interest rate etc.
likewise, he also demanded exemption from the custom duty on the import of machinery for dairy farming and livestock rearing.
Asking Modi to restore refinance by NABARD to Cooperative Banks, which has now been reduced from Rs6,300 crore in 2014-15 to Rs4,600 crore during the current fiscal, Badal requested him to immediately enhance the refinance to Rs7,000 crore.
SEEKS INDUSTRIAl TAX CONCESSIONS AT PAR WITH HIll STATES
Seeking intervention to ensure level playing field to the state industry in doll drums, Badal impressed upon Modi to grant similar concessions to Punjab on the lines of already extended to the neighbourly States of Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh and Uttrakhand.
The industry in the state was now passing thorough severe crisis which led to its mass exodus and flight of investment from Punjab, he said, adding that all this had adversely affected the industrial atmosphere in the State forcing local industrialists to even undertake expansion of their existing units in these States.
He said: “This situation is alike double jeopardy for Punjab as its trade and industry suffered a major blow earlier too due to over decade long militancy in the State.”
SEEKS EARlY ClEARANCE OF IRRIGATION PROJECTS
River water being the lifeline of the farmers in the state, Badal sought personal intervention of the Prime Minister to direct the Union Ministry of Water Resources (MoWR) for early clearance of various irrigation projects stuck up at different stages in the Ministry worth Rs4,418 crore including extension, renovation and modernization of canal fed by River Satluj, rehabilitation of Uppar Bari Doab Canal (UBDC) system and re-lining of Rajasthan and Sirhind feeders.
DEMANDS REIMBURSEMENT OF Rs2,694 CR PAID PRIOR TO lOAN WAIVER
He also sought reimbursement of Rs2,694 crore already paid out of special term loan of Rs5,800 crore advanced to Punjab for combating insurgency during the period of militancy from 1980-95 prior to the loan waiver by the Centre. Badal requested to immediately announce a special grant to the extent of Rs2694 crore in lieu of its repayment.
It may be recalled that out of the special term loan amounting to Rs5800 crore given by the Centre, Rs5029 crore as outstanding amount was waived by the Centre. The State government had already paid Rs2694 crore before loan waiver including Rs771 crore as principal and Rs1923 crore towards interests.
Chief Minister also sought waiver of Rs298 crore as expenditure incurred on the paramilitary forces during militancy as Punjab fought the nation’s war to defend its integrity and sovereignty.
SEEKS FUNDS FOR MODERNISING PUNJAB POlICE
On the issue of modernization of Police, Badal urged Modi for formulation of special scheme or announcing one-time grant to modernise state police as it was of utmost importance to counter cross border terrorism and insurgency especially in the wake of recent challenge posed by some anti-national and inimical forces from across the border.
He mentioned that the Union Ministry of Home Affairs had discontinued the scheme for modernisation of state police force from the fiscal 2015-16.
Badal also urged the Prime Minister to immediately start operation of International flights along with the inauguration of the International Airport at SAS Nagar (Mohali).
Assuring Badal of positive outcome during the deliberations, the Prime Minister told the Chief Minister that he would soon get all the issues resolved on priority.