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Congress, the main opposition, has decided to bring an adjournment motion in Punjab Vidhan Sabha session on Monday to draw attention of the state government to the sad plight of farming community.
Congress Legislative Party leader Sunil Jakhar said that the decision was been taken in consultation with party legislators who were in New Delhi to participate in the Samman Rally today. Those present include Lal Singh, Rana Gurjit Singh, Tript Rajinder Singh Bajwa, Sadhu Singh Dharamsot, Sukhwinder Singh Sarkaria, Gurkirat Singh Kotali, Amrik Singh, Ramanjit Singh Sikki, Hardyal Kamboj, Navtej Singh Cheema, Parminder Singh Pinky and Gurcharan Singh Boparai. The rally was a big success, he claimed.
Jakhar said that Congress had submitted a list of principal issues the Congress sought to discuss on the floor of the house but till date there has been no response from the hon’ble Speaker. The main opposition can’t afford to ignore that cotton growers had been financially ruined as the state government failed in checking white fly attack due to a “scam”.
He said that bad days were apprehended for paddy growers; wheat growers had already suffered heavily due to poor purchase and payment arrangements, alleged purchase of sub standard pesticides at exorbitant price to check attack by white fly on cotton had caused an irreparable loss to more than 65 percent of farmers in Malwa belt. Regretfully the ruling politicians had no time even to console the families of farmers who had committed suicides.
Jakhar resented that the Agriculture Department headquarter was practically working as SAD office. The Central Government in the past had earmarked lot of funds to boost crop diversification but the department officials remained busy in attending Sangat Darshan or paying visits to the political bosses. Farmers were not getting remunerative prices for produce; they were forced to go in with distress sale as even MSP was not assured. The department had made no arrangements to launch awareness campaign to guide the farming community on important issues, this made farming non-viable, he said.
He said that Congress legislators will not hesitate to come on the roads if sufficient compensation against loss of cotton is not given. It was unfortunate that many farmers who suffered heavily due to incessant rain last year were given cheques worth Rs 500 only as compensation. The UPA led union govt had released funds under the disaster management and other schemes but the same were widely siphoned off, we will expose such bungling in Vidhan Sabha, he said.
