Law on contract farming proposed

Chandigarh : With shrinking land holdings making farming non-viable, the Punjab Government has decided to infuse new hope in agriculture by way of cooperative and contract farming. To ensure that cooperatives and companies do not take farmers for a ride, the state is contemplating bringing in legislation that will bind those undertaking contract farming by legislation. Contract farming has been prevalent in the region, especially after the setting up of agro-processing units. At present hundreds of acres of land is under contract farming where large companies ask farmers to grow a particular produce and promise to buy it back. In many cases, the companies do not honour their commitment if the commodity becomes available at cheaper prices elsewhere. To make contract farming popular and to facilitate optimum use of expensive equipment and implements, the Punjab Government has decided to come out with a new law on contract farming. This legislation that is still in a draft stage proposes to bind companies to honour the terms of agreement. The proposal was mooted after reports that several multinational companies and big business houses went back on their commitments after making farmers grow potatoes or tomatoes. Similarly, many farmers entered into a lease with the Punjab Agro for citrus cultivation as a means of crop diversification, but the contracts were either terminated or the farmers suffered huge losses. Under the proposed legislation, the state government will, from time to time, notify crops that would be protected under this new legislation. From around two lakh acres under contract farming at present, the government hopes to bring about 25 lakh acres under contract farming. Once the draft is completed and vetted by the legal branch of the government, the Bill could be brought for passing in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha in the coming Budget Session, it is learnt. The legislation is contemplating proposing that once a company asks a farmer to grow something for the company, it will have to buy and pay the price already agreed upon, even if the produce is available at a cheaper price elsewhere. But at the same time, if the price of the produce increases, the farmers would be at liberty to demand a higher price or sell it to someone else for a higher price.

Avtar Singh Makkar, President S.G.P.C. urges PM to intervene

Amritsar : Taking serious note of the turban-frisking incident involving NRI Jaswinder Singh Dhaliwal in Italy, SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar today shot off a missive to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, urging him to take up the matter with the Italian Government on top priority. In his letter to the Prime Minister, Makkar said the entire Sikh community was deeply anguished over the humiliation of Sikhs by taking their turbans off forcibly or compelling them to hand over their turbans for thorough search at the international airports particularly in the US and Europe. He said the SGPC had been flooded with calls and representations following the recent incidents involving India's envoy to UN Hardeep Puri at Austin Texas, NRI Dhaliwal at Milan airport and Hazoori Ragi Bhai Nirmal Singh. Makkar said being himself a Sikh, the Prime Minister need not to be told the importance of turban for a Sikh. "It is not only a part of a Sikh's attire but is an integral part of their religious observance. Those who are humiliating the Sikhs by searching and taking off their turbans may not be knowing that the Sikhs are ordained to keep their hair covered with turban as per the Sikh code of conduct and hence they need to be sensitised in this regard," he said, adding that the Prime Minister could perform this sacred duty in the most convincing manner.

Lukemarm response to Manpreet's Yatra

Anandpur Sahib : After evoking a good response from Malwa region during launch of the Jago Punjab Yatra and in Maghi Mela, Manpreet Badal failed to strike a chord with people of Anandpur Sahib. The onset of second phase of the yatra here today witnessed thin attendance of supporters. Absence of former deputy speaker Bir Devinder remained conspicuous. A large number of supporters were from parts of Gidderbaha, Muktsar and Malout. There were a few numbers aof local residents of Anandpur Sahib. Sporting yellow bands and scarves, Manpreet and his supporters held the rally on a private plot near Panj Piara Park. Badal received a lukewarm response from the area, whose MLA Sant Ajit Singh had earlier supported him. “Had MLA Ajit Singh remained by Manpreet’s side, the response to yatra could have been much better,” observed the locales. It is also being said many of Manpreet’s supporters, especially those from the SAD, could not come out openly out of the fear inviting wrath of their party leaders. Manpreet justified himself for leaving the post of the Finance Minister. He drew parallels with Subhash Chander Bose and said like Bose, he renounced the ministry to remain loyal to the people of Punjab. Manpreet said his front is not third, but new front. “Third front implies that we stand on third pedestal of race, whereas we are actually heralding new era as an alternative front to the Congress and the SAD,” he added. Manpreet promised his people moon saying that the after 12 months, when he comes to power, he would suck away all corruption from Punjab

Tricolour will be hoisted at Lal Chowk : BJYM

Jallandhar : The Tricolour will be hoisted at Lal Chowk in Srinagar at any cost on Republic Day. BJYM president and BJP MP Anurag Thakur stated this while addressing a public rally at Patel Chowk here on Sunday. Thakur said efforts were being made to stop him from hoisting the flag at Lal Chowk. If he was not allowed to unfurl the National Flag at Lal Chowk, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would have no moral right to hoist it at the Lal Qila, he added. Expressing surprise, he said he failed to understand why an Indian had been stopped to hoist the flag in his country. While Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had seemingly bowed before separatists as he was issuing statements against his plan of hoisting the flag at Lal Chowk, Dr Manmohan Singh had also apparently bowed before Omar on this issue, he added. Later talking to mediapersons, he said the main motive of the yatra was to create awareness among the countrymen about the Kashmir problem. Kashmiri Pandits and Sikhs were being made victims by the militants, he added. Addressing the rally, Punjab Local Bodies Minister Manoranjan Kalia said Thakur’s yatra reminded him of a similar yatra carried out by the then BJP president, Murli Manohar Joshi, and a rath yatra by the then BJP chief, LK Advani, several years ago.

Centre, ignoring state's requirement : Adesh Partap Singh Kairon

Chandigarh : Punjab Food and Supply Minister Adesh Partap Singh Kairon today condemned the Centre for sanctioning storage for only 4.5 lakh tonnes to the state against its demand for storage capacity of 50.52 lakh tonnes across the country. Addressing mediapersons at Chandigarh Press Club, Kairon said, “We want the Centre to pay attention to our storage requirement as shortage of adequate storage capacity could lead to heavy losses.” Kairon said, “Out of the total bids (for creating 50.52 lakh tonnes of additional storage capacity) submitted by the state, the Centre has approved bids to create mere 4.5 lakh tonnes and bids for 14-15 lakh tonnes have been put on counter offer and the rest is pending.” He said Punjab had received 521 bids for creation of 50.52 lakh tonnes of new storage space in the state. He said, “The centre is aware that Punjab needs 80 lakh tonnes of storage capacity but it decided to build only 70 lakh tonnes of new capacities. The Centre decided on paper that Punjab needs not 70 lakh tonnes but only 50-52 lakh tonnes. At the same time it allowed Punjab to create 4.5 lakh tonnes of additional storage.” The state is facing a shortage of storing 80 lakh tonnes of foodgrain storage capacity against the present capacity of 200 lakh tonnes of storage comprising 95 lakh tonnes of covered space and rest as Covered Area Plinth (CAP). Kairon said the state had approached the Planning Commission to review the list of BPL families in Punjab. He said only nine per cent of the total population are BPL families, which adds up to 4.62 lakh.

Manpreet Singh made blunder by leaving Shiromani Akal Dal : Cheema

patiala : Dr Daljit Singh Cheema, Advisor to Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal, today launched scathing attacks on former Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal. While interacting with mediapersons after attending the bhog ceremony of Balwant Kaur, mother of SS Sekhon, OSD to the Punjab CM, Dr Cheema claimed that when Manpreet was the part of the government, he was against the subsidies but now he is advocating for giving more subsidies. He said the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) is a 90-year-old political party and history speaks that whosoever has deserted the SAD, has to regret later. “Let the next Assembly election in Punjab come. Then Manpreet will realise that he made a big blunder by leaving the SAD. “The speeches being delivered by Manpreet during the rallies being addressed by him in various parts of the state clearly reflects the double standards of Manpreet,” he said.

Partap Singh Bajwa buries the hatchet with PPCC chief

Gurdaspur : Former Chief Minister and PPCC chief Amarinder Singh indulged in his favourite pastime of Akali bashing using some of the choicest of Punjabi proverbs and idioms against Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and his son Sukhbir Badal at a public meeting held here today. The event assumes significance as it was Amarinder’s first rally in the Majha region ever since he took over the reigns of the PPCC. “Today’s rally is a sure indicator to the fact that the Congress will improve its tally in Majha in the next Assembly election,” remarked PPCC spokesman Fateh Jung Singh Bajwa. The rally also saw Gurdaspur MP Partap Singh Bajwa, for long considered Amarinder’s bete noire, burying the hatchet with the PPCC chief. In his brief speech Bajwa said, “Congressmen in Majha may be a divided lot. But today all factions buried their differences to ensure the success of the rally.” The MP also went to the extent of announcing Amarinder Singh as the next Chief Minister. Amarinder Singh directed most of his verbal volleys at the Punjab Chief Minister and his son, Sukhbir Badal, mocking them repeatedly. He said, “Sukhbir Badal, I promise that a day will come when I will finish you politically. You and your cohorts are compromising Punjab’s interests for your own personal gains.” Amarinder also spoke about formulating a new agriculture policy if his party came to power. “I want to take the farmers out of the vicious debt trap. This can be done only if a new agriculture policy is put in place.” The former Chief Minister also pointed out that during his previous tenure he had ensured the commitment of big industrial groups, including the Reliance Industries, to invest in farming so that the income of the farmers could be enhanced. “But this government played petty politics and cancelled all those projects,” he added. Senior Congressmen who were present included Partap Bajwa, Santosh Chowdhury, Rana Gurjit Singh, PS Bhinder, Arvind Khanna, Ashwani Sekhri, Fateh Jung Singh Bajwa, Major Amardeep Singh, Tripit Rajinder Bajwa, Sukhjinder Randhawa, Naresh Puri, Harminder Jassi, Raman Bhalla, Raman Bahl, Aruna Chowdhury, SS Chottepur, Ajay Verma, Kartik Wadhera, Salamat Masih, Joginder Chinna, Neeraj Salhotra and Anu Gandotra.