Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on Saturday said that Punjab Kisan Vikas Chamber (PKVC)-Farmers’ advisory body, first of its kind in the country would help the sagging agrarian economy to stage a comeback as this platform would prove to be a milestone in putting forth the views of eminent agriculture experts and economists.
While laying the foundation stone of PKVC to be constructed over two acres of land here in Aero City, the Chief Minister said that this farmers’ autonomous body would certainly help them to do lobbying to get their genuine demands accepted at the Centre’s level through persuasion within the democratic means.
He said this Chamber on the pattern of industrial organizations like Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), PHD Chamber of Commerce, Associated Chambers of Commerce of India (ASSOCHAM) and Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) would provide affirmative say of peasantry in the policies and programs related to agricultural and allied activities.
The Chief Minister said this would be a non-political forum exclusively dedicated to the cause of farming community.
He said that eminent academicians and experts in different fields of Agriculture and allied services have been nominated in this prestigious organization.
Badal said that this body would surely reach zenith of its glory under stewardship of chairman Punjab Farmers’ Commission Dr GS Kalkat as its patron and leading progressive farmer Kulwant Singh as its president.
Badal said the entire construction cost of the chamber’s complex would be borne by the State Government and the adequate land had been provided by GMADA free of cost.
The State Government had initially provided `20 crore as corps fund to run the chamber till it becomes fully self sustainable, said the Chief Minister.
Badal said that the chamber would engage the services of renowned agriculture experts for seeking their advice on matters related to the agriculture sector. This would help the chamber to contest their claims vigorously with the central and state government in a meaningful and result oriented manner. likewise, legal advice on certain contentious issues with regard to inter-state marketing and export policies would be sought from legal experts, he added.