AGRARIAN CRISIS: Top Brass Of Punjab Govt Hold Deliberations With 18 Farmer & Farm Labour Union

Chandigarh, October 3, 2015: On the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Mr.Parkash Singh Badal the senior officers of the state government led by Chief Secretary had detailed parleys with the representatives of 18 farmer and farm labour unions from across the state to evolve ways and means to bail out the beleaguered peasantry from the current agrarian crisis.

The top brass of the state administration including Chief Secretary Mr. Sarvesh Kaushal, Additional Chief Secretary (Development) Mr. Suresh Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Mr. Karan Avtar Singh and Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. SK Sandhu during a meeting with representatives of these unions held here today deliberated upon varied issues and problems confronted by them in this hour of crisis. The representatives of these unions raised the issues including early release of the outstanding payment of cane arrears due towards private sugar mill owners, raising the rate of compensation in case of damage suffered by the cotton growers and farmers who had sown other crops like Guar and vegetables. The delegation also sought an increase in the compensation given to the next of kin of farmer who committed suicide from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 5 lakh.

The delegations also pleaded that the state procurement agencies must ensure that the entire crop of paddy 1509 should be procured at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) commensurate with the market price in order to avoid distress sale of paddy. Likewise, they also demanded the procurement of Basmati at the MSP for assured purchase of their yield. In a bid to save the poor farmers and farm labourers from the burden of repayment of loans in the wake of current situation, they sought a waiver of these loans to overcome their financial stringency. The representatives of these unions also raised the issue of immediately transferring the ownership rights to the tenants occupying the evacuee land, village common land and government land who had been in occupation since long.

Responding to these issues, the Chief Secretary assured them that the state government was committed to safeguard their rights at every cost. He said that the state government would take up the issues of waving the loans, enhancement in compensation for crop damage, hike in compensation of farm suicide and procurement of Basmati as demanded by them with the Government of India (GoI) at the earliest.

Chief Secretary informed the delegation that the state government was already sensitized to their genuine problems and had already taken an appropriate call without any delay. He said that process of special Girdwari to assess the loss of cotton crop in the Malwa belt due to white fly attack has been completed and compensation to the tune of Rs 644 crore has been released. Likewise, the state government had already made the payment of Rs 540 crore for clearing the arrears of sugarcane farmers due towards the cooperative mills and assured that the state government had already made concerted efforts to prevail upon the owners of private sugar mills to clear their outstanding dues at the earliest. In the same manner all out efforts were being made to ensure the timely commencement of next crushing season to prevent the cane growers from any sort of harassment and it would be ensured that the farmers were paid cane prices @ Rs 295 per quintal. The union leaders were also apprised that the state government has also arranged loan of Rs 200 crore from banks by giving state guarantee, which would be utilized by the private mill owners for clearing the cane arrears. Responding to another vital issue related to the transfer of ownership rights of tenancy land it was clarified that the state government was already seized of the matter and appropriate decision would be taken soon after consulting the legal experts. He also apprised the delegation that the Chief Minister had already directed the Additional Chief Secretary Revenue to get such cases examined at his personal level and finalize all the modalities in this regard. It was also decided in the meeting that all the cases related to farm suicides should be sent to the Revenue Department by the concerned Deputy Commissioner within a week to ensure timely disbursement of compensation to the aggrieved families. The state government on the request of union leaders assured that an appropriate mechanism would be devised to ensure that the compensation for damaged crops would be paid to the cultivators.

The Chief Secretary assured the delegation that all the senior administrative secretaries had been entrusted with the task of ensuring smooth, hassle free and prompt procurement of paddy in the grain markets across the state, as the Punjab government was committed to lift every single grain of the farmers’ produce.