Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
New Delhi, February 8
Commending the government for announcing to give one-and-half-time more than the production cost of farm products, SAD MP from Anandpur Sahib (Punjab) Prem Singh Chandumajara on Thursday demanded in Lok Sabha that a special session of Parliament should be convened to discuss issues relating to agriculture and thus a comprehensive policy to be framed.
Chandumajara, while participating in the discussion on Budget (General), also lauded the government’s initiative to provide insurance coverage (Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana) to farmers, but simultaneously insisted that instead of taking village as a unit for the benefit, the individual farmers should be the unit. He also insisted that a special purpose vehicle by roping in only the public sector insurers should be created for implementing the insurance scheme.
The MP also demanded that all three situations – before sowing, after sowing and after harvest – of draught should be considered, while compensating farmers for the calamity and in this case too, individual farmer should be the unit to calculate the loss.
Noting that Punjab is a border state, the Centre should give special package to the state under the border area development scheme and asked for a cargo facility in Mohali so that the state get connected with the world market.
Raising the issue of GST being imposed on all the food items, which are used in “langar” at different gurdwaras, the SAD MP said, “I know it is not possible to waive the tax on such items, but I would request the government to make arrangements for refund of tax money to gurdwara authorities.”
Expressing concern over the quality of spending of huge Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) fund in the country, Chandumajara asked for a thorough inquiry into it.
