Even as the deadlock between the Central Government and Punjab’s farmers’ bodies continues over the movement of trains, Punjab Industries and Commerce Minister Sunder Sham Arora on Sunday requested the Centre to resume the freight trains services in the State.
Urging the Union Govt to start train service as it is damaging the Punjab industry, he said that as the goods trains are not plying, “a loss of Rs 22,000 crore has been reported for industries in Ludhiana and Jalandhar alone. Even more than 13,500 containers are lying at Dhandari Dry Port and they could not be sent to other parts of the country”.
“Around 13,000 commercial containers are struck between Ranchi and Punjab as the movement of freight trains is not allowed in the State. Due to this reason, the industries in Punjab are suffering from major losses,” said Arora while addressing a media at Ludhiana. He said: “I do not want the issue to be politicized. I request the Centre for immediate restoration of freight movement.
Also, if freight trains get resumed, I hope that passenger trains get operational in full swing in the State as well in the near future.” Farmers across the country have been protesting against the centre’s three new farm legislations, passed by the parliament in Sept, with Punjab emerging as the epicenter of protests. Farmers launched ‘rail roko’ agitation, but decided to vacate the tracks for the movement of “goods trains only”.
On the other hand, the Central Government is adamant on resuming both goods and passenger trains, while asking the Congress led Punjab Government to ensure the safety and smooth passage of all trains from the state.
However, the meeting between farmers’ unions and the Union Ministers to resolve the ongoing rail traffic disruption and blockade in Punjab ended inconclusively on Friday, with both sides sticking to their ground. The farmers will now hold the next meeting on November 18.
On the issue of farmer bills, Arora said that the farmers of Punjab “contribute nearly 50 percent of food in the country. The Central Government, along with the State Government, should sit together and resolve the problems of the farmers”.
Speaking on the issue of pending Goods and Services Tax (GST) payment, he said: “The Central Government is yet to pay GST to Punjab. If the Central Government does not pay GST in the coming days, the industrial sector in Punjab can get destroyed.”
LORD VISHWAKARMA IS FOUNDER OF CRAFT, ARCHITECTURE, ENGINEERING ON EARTH: ARORA
Punjab Industries and Commerce Minister Sunder Sham Arora on Sunday stated that Lord Vishwakarma was the founder of the craft, architecture and engineering on the earth. “Whatever industrial and infrastructure growth today we observe around, is happening only with the blessings and mechanical skills created by Lord Vishwakarma that had facilitated mankind to grow faster with technological day-by-day advancements,” he said while addressing the gathering on the occasion of state level function organized on the occasion of Vishwakarma Day.