Nabha (Punjab), Apr 4 (PTI) Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal on Saturday demanded that the Punjab government release compensation of Rs 50,000 per acre for wheat crop damaged in the recent hailstorm and rains in the Malwa region.
Addressing a rally here as part of the SAD’s ‘Punjab Bachao’ campaign, the former deputy chief minister said the rain and hailstorm damaged crops in Bathinda, Mansa, Fazilka and Sri Muktsar Sahib districts.
“Farmers are in distress. I am getting calls from across the state, with farmers saying that they did not get a single rupee for the damage caused to their paddy crop in the devastating floods last year,” Badal said.
Now they are again appealing for compensation for the damage to their standing wheat crop, he said.
The AAP government gave nothing to the farmers in the last four years, he charged.
“If nothing else, it should at least fulfil one election promise by releasing compensation of Rs 50,000 per acre to them,” he added.
Badal further said the SAD stands for the restoration of the 2.5 per cent commission on the minimum support price (MSP) for wheat and paddy for ‘arhtiyas’ (commission agents). This is absolutely necessary to cover the rising operational costs of ‘arhatiyas’ in mandis.
“I condemn Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann for failing to take up this issue forcefully with the Centre and ensuring justice for the arhtiya community. I assure that once the SAD forms the government, we will do our utmost to ensure restoration of this commission,” he said.
On the ongoing feud between AAP Rajya Sabha MP Raghav Chadha and his party, Badal said, “Everyone realises the AAP is a sinking ship and even its leaders realise that they have done nothing for the people except hoodwinking them.” Outlining his vision for Punjab, the SAD chief said if his party comes to power in the state in 2027, it would establish a world skill university, which would train 1 lakh youths every year and would have centres in each district.
He also announced that education till the graduation level would be free for all Scheduled Caste, backward caste and poor students under the SAD government. PTI CHS DIV DIV
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