Punjab Newsline, Chandigarh, March 21-
Raising farmers’ concerns in the House on Friday, Member Parliament Dr. Raj Kumar Chabbewal sought a special package of Rs. 20,000 Crore for crop diversification in the state.
While speaking over the farmers’ issues in the parliament, Aam Aadmi Party Member Parliament Dr. Raj Kumar Chabbewal highlighted the present plight of state’s peasantry urging the Union Government not to overlook the enormous contribution of farmers in nation’s development. He said that due to ill-conceived policies of Union Government Farmers are forced for agitations across the county so Centre should fulfil their demands.
Pointing out that the Punjab Punjab has only 3% cultivable land(42 lakh hectare), said Dr. Chabbewal adding despite that the state contributes 18% wheat in total wheat production, 11% of rice and 4% cotton in central pool. He said Punjab Government had already given highest cane prices to the cane growers in the county and promoting maize cultivation in the state with giving highest state-agreed price (SAP) to the sugarcane farmers i.e. more than Rs. 400. Apart from this, the State Government is also giving Rs 1500 as financial assistance to farmers per acres for opting direct seeding of rice.