Punjab ASSEMBLY: Adopts resolution on farm diversification unanimously

Chandigarh, December 19, 2012: Punjab Vidhan Sabha today unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Government of India to immediately help the state in promoting farm diversification and demanded a technology mission for 'Diversification of Agriculture with an allocation of Rs 5,000 crore for green revolution states on the pattern of 'Bringing Green Revolution to Eastern India' (BGREI) in the 12th Five Year Plan.   

A resolution to this effect was moved by the Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal on the floor of the House during 3rd day of the winter session. 

The resolution also requested the GoI to release the relief package forthwith as promised by it to bail out the Punjab farmers and the state government in the wake of drought like conditions during Kharif-2012. The package included; relief of Rs.3,000 per hectare to the farmers to save their paddy crops on account of incurring extra costs, besides Rs.1530 crore to compensate the state government for supplying additional power to the farmers in nurturing their paddy by purchasing it from the other states. 

On the need of diversification of agriculture in the state, the resolution mentioned that due to the constant increase in the costs of agriculture inputs and subsequent non-remunerative Minimum Support Price (MSP) has rendered the traditional wheat-paddy cycle non-profitable.   Punjab farmers were reeling under the heavy debt to the tune of Rs.35,000 crore.  Continuous sowing of paddy has resulted in the depletion of the ground water and it was the need of the hour to switch over to other alternative crops from the conventional wheat-paddy rotation.  The state farmers should be motivated in this hour of crisis as now it was a payback time for Centre to acknowledge the services rendered by our farmers by giving them their due share, who made concerted efforts to make our country surplus in food grains production.  The Centre is also impressing upon Punjab to find some alternative crops as other states are also producing surplus paddy. 

The resolution further said whenever, the farmers faced any hardship, the Centre always shun from its duty.  When the state faced acute shortage of rainfall to the extent of 65-70% in the month of July-August during Kharif-2012 and Punjab farmers were facing severe drought across the state.  The GoI deputed a Group of Ministers (GoM) comprising Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and Rural Development and Panchayat Minister Jairam Ramesh, who visited Chandigarh to review the drought situation in Punjab. The GoM held a press conference after the meeting and assured for a relief package, despite that still no such relief has been provided to the state.

The resolution also emphasised on the need of comprehensive diversification program to effectively tackle the farm crisis.  Therefore, the House demands that the Central Government should immediately initiate these special programs to encourage farm diversification in the right earnest on the line of promoting agriculture in the Eastern states including: remunerative MSP for alternative crops like maize, cotton, sugarcane, oilseeds and pulses besides assured marketing of these crops on the pattern of wheat and paddy, opening of a research center by the Indian Council for Agriculture Research for the production of pulses and soyabean,   interest on loans as well as Income tax exemptions in the livestock sector should be made at par with the agriculture sector.  Likewise, a Central Research Center in Fisheries should be established for the promotion of fisheries in the state besides similar concessions/incentives be extended to the agriculture industry in Punjab as already given to the neighbouring hill states.