Farmers Movement Archive

Channi extends ₹17,000 per acre relief to basmati growers

Chief minister Charanjit Singh Channi on Tuesday decided to extend relief of ₹17,000 per acre to basmati growers whose crops have been damaged due to hailstorm during the past kharif season. The CM took the decision after marathon discussion with the Kisan Majdoor Sangharsh Committee (KMSC), which also announced to take back its “rail roko” agitation. During the discussions with the KMSC delegation led by its state president Satnam Singh Pannu on a host of issues, Channi urged them to shun the path of agitation, stating that his government was already sensitized to their hardships and concerns. “The stir has already adversely impacted the supply of urea and DAP across the state, accentuating their woes especially during the current Rabi season,” he told them. They also deliberated at length the cases registered against farmers at Delhi and by Railway Protection Force during farmers’ agitation, debt waiver, providing jobs and compensation to the families of the farmers who sacrificed their lives during the agitation, compensation for crop damage, crop insurance and making the payment process easy for “abadkars” (farmers who have been tilling the land in occupation since long without any ownership rights). Channi also assured the delegation that he would soon take up the matter with home minister Amit Shah for prompt withdrawal of cases registered against farmers by Delhi Police as well as the RPF during the yearlong agitation against black farm laws. Acceding to another demand of the delegation, the CM said to ensure farmers get remunerative price of their produce, the state government would soon come out with a policy for covering all those crops under the state MSP, which are currently not covered under MSP regime by the Centre. He also welcomed the idea of delegation to create a Basmati Trading Corporation to ensure export of basmati across the globe with twin objective of providing remunerative prices for their crops and to give a major push towards crop diversification. On both issues, the CM asked chief secretary Anirudh Tewari to conduct a detailed study before taking a final call on this count. Agriculture Minister Randeep Singh Nabha, ACS, revenue, VK Janjua, financial commissioner, agriculture DK Tiwari and director, agriculture, Gurvinder Singh were also present.

Hindustan Times

29-12-2021

Chandigarh