Badal calls on PM; seeks agricultural package for Punjab
Chandigarh, Aug 4 (UNI)
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today called on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and sought a liberal agricultural relief package for Punjab.
During his meeting with Dr Singh, Mr Badal said the country at large and Punjab in particular were sitting on the brink of a farm emergency due to a combination of natural and human factors.
"The brave farmers of Punjab have always come to the rescue of the country and fellow countrymen in their hour of crisis. It's the turn of the country now to come to their rescue. And this will be in the larger national interest as it directly affects our food security," he said.
Mr Badal said agriculture in the country was already in the throes of "one of the worst crises" in recent history.
"The nation's bread winner is today himself facing the prospect of hunger, poverty and back-breaking indebtedness." The Chief Minister sought a relief package to Rs 2380 crore for the drought hit Punjab farmers.
Mr Badal also called for putting in place a permanent, in-built rapid-response economic system to meet farm emergencies such as those caused by Monsoon failure, floods or other natural causes.
The Chief Minister said the Centre should make use of the advanced technology and modern evaluation techniques to provide timely and adequate relief to farmers in the face of sudden crisis.