Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Thursday termed the recent hike in minimum support price (MSP) of paddy as “too inadequate to bail out farmers from agrarian crisis”.
The Chief Minister, in fact, urged the Central Government to constitute an expert group to make agriculture a remunerative preposition, besides implementing the recommendations of renowned farm economist Dr MS Swaminathan.
Badal, interacting with the mediapersons on the sidelines of Sangat Darshan program at Rajasansi assembly segment, said that the farmers of the country were facing an acute crisis and the Centre was duty-bound to bail out the food growers of nation from it.
“Farmer of Punjab needs special attention because in contrast with their peers across the country, they treat their crop as their own child and pump in their all resources to nurture them,” he said while adding that the expert group must suggest ways and means to ensure that farming was made a profitable venture.
Strongly pleading for implementation of recommendations of renowned farm economist Dr Swaminathan, Badal said that it could immensely benefit the farmers of the country.
Badal said that he had already requested the Centre for early implementation of these recommendations adding that he would again flag up this issue with them.
Terming the proposed agitations of Congress as a political gimmick, Badal said that the state government was already probing the issues raised by Congress leadership. It was unethical to name anyone as culprit until the enquiry report was submitted, he said.
‘EXERCISE RESTRAINT AND OBSERVE BlUESTAR ANNIVERSARY PEACEFUllY’
Urging the people to exercise restraint and observe anniversary of Operation Bluestar on June 6 peacefully, Badal said that state government was committed to maintain peace, communal harmony and brotherhood in the state.
“The state government is keeping a strict vigil over the entire situation and every effort would be made to maintain law and order in the state…No one will be allowed to disturb the hard earned peace in the state at any cost,” he said.
‘POlICE PROBING DHADRIAWAlE CASE, NO NEED FOR CBI PROBE’
Chief Minister Badal said that the state Police was already probing the attack on Sikh preacher Sant Ranjit Sikh Dhadriawala for which a SIT has already been constituted.
“There is no need for probe by any other agency as the state Police is fully competent to deal with any such situation,” he said.