Badal For Viable Mechanism To Indentify Farm Labourers For Compensation
Author(s): City Air NewsChandigarh, November 2, 2015: Punjab Chief Minister Mr.Parkash Singh Badal today underscored the need to put in place a mechanism for identification of farm labourers engaged in picking of Cotton to enable them...
cityairnews
Nov 2, 2015 10:30
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Chandigarh, November 2, 2015: Punjab Chief Minister Mr.Parkash Singh Badal today underscored the need to put in place a mechanism for identification of farm labourers engaged in picking of Cotton to enable them to get 10% of the compensation amount as already decided by the government.
While reviewing the progress on the pending farmers’ issues with the senior officers of the state government in a meeting here at CMO this afternoon, Mr. Badal asked the Revenue department to come out with a viable policy for the disbursement of relief to the farm labours in case of such natural calamities in future to offset their financial stringencies.
According to the Advisor to Chief Minister on National Affairs and Media Mr. Harcharan Bains, the Chief Minister has also impressed upon the Centre to immediately provide a relief of Rs 20,000 per acre to the farmers who have suffered substantial loss to their crops from attack of ‘whitefly’ in the state. Mr.Badal said that he would pursue this matter vigorously both with the Ministries of Agriculture and Finance for its quick resolution. It may be recalled that the state government has already sent a comprehensive proposal in this regard for the consideration of Union Government.
Taking part in deliberations Additional Chief Secretary Development told the Chief Minister that the Deputy Commissioners in the state have been asked ensure that the genuine cultivators get the compensation as per the special girdwari report. The Revenue department has already issued instructions to extend the same quantum of relief to the farmers who have suffered damage to other crops like Guar, ground nut, Moongi, Basmati and others.
It was also informed in the meeting that the state Agriculture department had already initiated disciplinary proceedings against the errant officials who were involved in the purchase of spurious pesticides thereby deliberately tweaking the set procedure and regulations. Likewise, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) headed by Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Crime have already booked the unscrupulous dealers involved in the supply of sub standard pesticides and insecticides as revealed in their investigation.
The Chief Minister directed the Additional Chief Secretary Revenue to explore the feasibility for the enactment of a Law to pay compensation to the farmers for damaged crops.
On the issue of procurement of Basmati, the Chief Minister was apprised that 1509 variety was being procured at Minimum Support Price (MSP). Mr. Badal was also informed that from the next marketing season the farmers would get input subsidy credited to their bank accounts directly through Direct Benefit Transfer Scheme. This step would not only ensure transparency in the disbursement of subsidy but also check undue exploitation and harassment of the farmers.
On the issue of payment of sugarcane arrears due towards private sugarcane mills, the Chief Minister asked the Secretary Expenditure to hold a meeting with the bankers for expediting the process of giving state guarantee of Rs 135 crore, so that this payment could be made to the cane growers at the earliest without any further delay. It was noted that requisite orders of government in this regard, have already been issued. Apart from this, the state government would ensure a timely payment of Rs.295 per quintal against Rs.230 fixed by the Centre to the cane growers during the crushing season of 2015-16.
Responding to the issue of waiving off the outstanding institutional/ non-institutional loans advanced to the farmers, the Chief Minister said that he would take up the matter with the Union Ministers of Finance and Agriculture to formulate an economically viable policy in this regard.
To ensure prompt payment of compensation to the next of kin of farmers committing suicides under distress, the Chief Minister asked the Deputy Commissioners to hold regular monthly meetings to dispose of such cases on priority. Additional Chief Secretary Revenue reported that cases of Bathinda districts involving payment of Rs 74 lakhs have already been approved/ cleared by the state level committee. The Chief Minister directed the Deputy Commissioners to clear all such cases in other districts also expeditiously.
Referring to the cancellation of Police cases against the agitating farmers and farm labourers, the Chief Minister said that all such cases where no violence or any sort of damage to the public property was reported should be withdrawn forthwith.
Likewise, Mr. Badal also asked the Deputy Commissioner Bathinda to immediately disburse compensation amount of Rs 5.50 lakh sent from to Chief Minister’s relief fund to those 22 persons who were injured during a farmers’ agitation in the city.
Regarding 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, the Chief Minister was informed that the Advocate General (AG) has been sent a draft notification in this regard for its legal examination.
With regard to Debt Relief Legislation, the Chief Minister reiterated that the Revenue Department should prepare appropriate draft legislation in this regard for the consideration of Punjab Vidhan Sabha.
The Chief Minister also directed the PSPCL authorities to ensure uninterrupted eight hour power supply to the farmers.
Prominent amongst others who attended the meeting included Advisor to Chief Minister on National Affairs and Media Mr. Harcharan Bains, Additional Chief Secretary Development Mr. Suresh Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary Revenue Mr. Karan Avtar Singh, Additional Chief Secretary Home Mr. Jagpal Singh Sandhu, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister Mr. SK Sandhu, Secretary Expenditure Mr. Jaspal Singh and Principal Chief Conservator of Forest Dr. Kuldeep Kumar.
Date:
Monday, November 2, 2015
