Punjab farmers end protest after state govt accepts several demands

Chandigarh: Punjab farmers ended their protest at the Chandigarh-Mohali border on Wednesday after the Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann-led state government accepted several of their demands.

The development came after representatives of more than 20 farmer bodies held a marathon meeting with Mann at Punjab Bhawan here.

Conceding one of the key demands of the protesting farmers, Mann announced a fresh schedule for staggered sowing of paddy on June 14 and June 17, thus restricting the total number of zones to just two instead of the earlier four.

However, the border belt across the fence has been excluded from the zonal restrictions and farmers of this region have been allowed to sow paddy from June 10.

Notably, it was earlier decided to undertake paddy cultivation in a staggered manner by dividing the entire state into four zones with dates of sowing being June 18, 22, 24 and 26 but the farmer bodies had rejected this schedule.

Mann told the farmer leaders that the state government has already issued a notification to procure the entire moong (green gram) crop at a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 7,275 per quintal, according to an official statement.

He also said the state government is finalising modalities to also procure maize at MSP to give a boost to its ambitious programme of crop diversification.

On the issue of MSP for Basmati crop, Mann said he will call on Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Thursday to urge the Centre to announce MSP on Basmati crop so as to encourage growers to cultivate it in a big way.

He told Samyukt Kisan Morcha members that he will also take up the contentious issue of change of rules for appointment of top officers to the Bhakra Beas Management Board

with Shah.

Later, Rural Development Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal said Mann will also raise with Shah the issue of giving bonuses on wheat to farmers.