Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Saturday wrote a series of letters to the Union Ministers demanding concessions in various fields for the people of the State.
To encourage crop diversification by ensuring assured marketing mechanism for maize crop, Badal wrote to Union Minister for Food Supply and Consumer Affairs Ram Vilas Paswan to direct any of the central agencies, including FCI, NAFED etc to procure maize from the State.
In his letter to Paswan, the Chief Minister apprised him that owing to low production risk and assured marketing of wheat and rice, about 80 per cent of the arable area in the State came under these two crops adding that since long, this cropping system has continued yielding a high growth in agriculture production and farm incomes. Badal said that the production potential of the available technology of these crops has almost been fully exploited and there was now near stagnation in growth and real farm incomes.
Badal apprised Paswan that for improving farm income, diversification of agriculture along with value addition of produce was essential for which state Agriculture Department has identified maize, cotton, agro-forestry and pulses as alternative crops to break the rotation of wheat and paddy, making agriculture not only more sustainable but also environment friendly.
Badal said the Agriculture Ministry announces MSP of Maize every year and the current MSP of maize was Rs 1350 per quintal. However, he bemoaned that none of the agencies of the GoI had ever entered Punjab market to procure maize at such a price, as a result of which the farmers of state were left at the mercy of the private traders and were thus exploited.
Seeks appointment of member irrigation BBMP from Punjab
In a communiqué to the Union Power Minister Piyush Goyal, Badal urged him to appoint Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) Member Irrigation from Punjab on the retirement of present incumbent in order to ensure neutrality in the functioning of the organisation.
The Chief Minister said consequent upon receiving his consent in the matter the Punjab government would send a panel of officers for selection and appointment as Member Irrigation, BBMB. He said ever since BBMB was constituted, Member (Irrigation) has always been appointed from panel of officers of Haryana cadre. Needless to say that Punjab and Haryana have equal interest in the subject of ‘Power’ and ‘Irrigation’. Therefore, post of Member (Irrigation) and Member (Power) should be filled in from panel of officers from Punjab and Haryana, by rotation, he added.
Seeks early clearance of second phase of Ghaggar channelisation
In another letter to Union Water Resource Minister Uma Bharti, Badal sought her intervention for instructing the officers of her Ministry to convene an early meeting of the Ghaggar Standing Committee, for clearing the second phase of Channelisation of this river.
In his letter, he Chief Minister apprised Bharti that as per the approval granted by Ghaggar Standing Committee, first phase of channelisation of Ghaggar River from Khanauri to Makror Sahib (22.45-km) was completed. However, he said that the second phase of the project from Makror Sahib to Karail was under consideration of Ghaggar Standing Committee, from the last five years. “As this river creates havoc during the rainy season so in the larger public interest you are kindly requested to instruct the officers of your Ministry to immediately convene an early meeting of the Ghaggar Standing Committee for clearing the second Phase” added Badal.
Setting regional vocational training institute
Seeking intervention of Union labour and Employment Minister Narendra Singh Tomar for expediting the setting up of Regional Vocational Training Institute and Regional Directorate Apprenticeship Training near Chandigarh, Badal underscored the need to have such centers, which would go a long way in strengthening and improving the quality of skill development training in general and empowerment of women in particular.
In his letter to Tomar, Badal apprised the Union Minister that the State Government has identified suitable land measuring 9 acres, 6 canals and 4 marlas. “I seek your personal indulgence to give necessary push to this ambitious project by completing the necessary formalities so that the foundation stone of this project can be laid at the earliest” he added.