Chandigarh: Former Chief Minister and Leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda has demanded a bonus of at least Rs 500 per quintal on MSP to compensate farmers for the loss. Hooda said wheat farmers have suffered huge losses due to unseasonal rains and then the early arrival of summer.
"This time the size of the wheat grain has reduced by about 10% and the production has decreased by about 5 to 10 quintals per acre. On top of this, due to the inflation of petrol, diesel, fertilizers, medicines, seeds, and other things, input costs have increased significantly, and this is why farmers need government help. Farmers can be compensated for their loss to some extent by giving a bonus of Rs 500 per quintal," he said.
Hooda said that as soon as summer comes, the government increases electricity rates and cuts production, which has pushed the state in a huge power crisis.
"Long power cuts have made life difficult for people. The Congress government had built four power plants in Khedar, Panipat, Jharli and Yamunanagar to make the state self-reliant in terms of electricity, while not a single plant was set up in the BJP or BJP-JJP government," he said.
"To make matters worse, production has been stopped completely in three units at Khedar, Panipat and Jharli Power Plants. Today, very less electricity is being produced in the state, compared to the capacity of our power plants. The people of the state are facing the brunt of this in the form of long power cuts and expensive electricity rates. Electricity is being bought from private companies at expensive rates and sold to common consumers at higher rates," he said.
"Due to the power cut, not only the normal life is disturbed but it is also affecting the business of the people. Farmers are also facing huge losses due to power cuts," he said.