हिंदी
DEMANDS UNIFORM YARDSTICK FOR FARMERS AND LARGE CORPORATES HOUSES
ASKS PUNJAB GOVT TO DECLARE SUDDEN WEATHER FLUCTUATION A NATURAL CALAMITY AND ANNOUNCE TOTAL COMPENSATION
DEMANDS Rs 500 PER QUINTAL COMPENSATION TO FARMERS FOR PRODUCTIVITY LOSSES
Chandigarh May 15- Shiromani Akali Dal President S Sukhbir Singh Badal today came down heavily against the Union Govt decision to ban the export of wheat and demanded compensation of Rs 500 per quintal of wheat for the beleaguered farmers for the double whammy of “ weather-driven calamity of drastic lower yield on the one hand and the shrunken market following export ban on the other. “
Mr Badal demanded that the export ban be lifted immediately to stop an artificially created fall in demand for farmers’ produce. A fall in demand will have a negative spiral impact on the entire economy. The farmers and farm labourers will be the worst sufferers but no economic segment nor any section of society will escape its negative short term and long term consequences. “
He said that withdrawal of export ban has become all the more necessary now that the farmers especially in Punjab have suffered a huge and unbearable blow because of an estimated 33% lower wheat yield because of unexpected weather fluctuations.
The SAD chief said that the govt must apply uniform standards and adopt identical policies with regard to fall in productivity and production in industry and agriculture. Giving the example of fall in steel production, Mr Badal said that as a result of fall in production, steel prices have skyrocketed but there is no export ban on steel. “ on the contrary, Whenever there is a similar situation of reduced productivity in trade and industry, the govt always comes to the aid of the producers or manufacturers through liberal subsidisation and loan waivers to big industrial or corporate houses. Why should this yardstick not apply to farmers who are the real backbone of the economy and the breadwinners or Annadata of the nation ?” Mr Badal asked
The former Deputy CM also commented on the govt’s decision to raise the relaxation for shrunken grain , saying that it was an inadequate and insignificant measure. “ Against a 33% fall in total production , the increased relaxation by just 12% in the shrunken wheat is a mere eyewash. The relaxation covers only the shrunken grain whereas the fall in yield affects the entire production. This is a clever ploy to distract attention from the actual losses suffered by the farmers, said Mr Badal.
The SAD president said that the only way to provide relief to the suffering peasantry and farm labour and to steady the overall curve of economy is to declare the sudden weather change a natural calamity and announce an “across the board” relief and compensation to the farmers affected by the impact of this calamity.
It is surprising that the AAP govt and CM Bhagwant Mann haven’t even thought of it yet. “ What the farmers have faced this season is most a natural calamity and nothing short of total compensation will help the farmers survive this back breaking natural blow. “
Mr Badal said that instead of punishing the farmers through negative manipulation and shrinkage of market and demand-size through export ban, the govt should think of compensating wheat producers as well subsidising food prices for the poorer sections. “ The export ban would mean lower demand and that lower demand would mean disincentivizing production. This kind of policy is a sure recipe for disaster not only for the farmers but for the entire economy. “EOM
