Farmers Movement Archive

Not against corporates, but need to protect farmers: Punjab CM Amarinder Singh

CHANDIGARH: Expressing concern over the difference of opinion between the state and the Centre on agricultural bills, Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh on Tuesday said he was not against corporates but there has to be a regulation to protect farmers and long-standing relationship they have with arhtiyas. Speaking at the virtual inaugural session of the USA-Punjab Investors’ Roundtable 2020, he said, “Any attempt to do away with this system will not work.” He said his government had brought in bills in the Punjab legislative assembly “to negate the impact of the central farm laws and had also taken up the issue with the Prime Minister”. “We have to ensure food security, what is plenty today may not be there tomorrow,” he pointed out, adding that while India was currently exporting wheat it did not mean that the surplus food grains will remain forever. The country has to keep its reserves, he said Appreciating the growing interest of American companies in Punjab, which contributes 3% to India’s GDP with just 1.5% of the country’s land area, Amarinder said while it was predominantly an agricultural state and home to India’s Green Revolution earlier, his government wanted agriculture to become more high-value now, with greater growth in the overseas market. Inviting the investors to enjoy the state’s unique business-friendly culture that promoted entrepreneurship, he pointed out that the USA was the top export destination (USD 685 million amounting to approx. 12% of Punjab’s total exports in 2019-20) for Punjab-based companies. On the role played by Punjabi NRI population in the US, he said they were working hard to bring success to their countries, with Taranjit Singh Sandhu, currently serving as the Indian Ambassador to the US, a prime example of the synergy that exists between USA & Punjab.

The Times of India

2020-11-18

Chandigarh