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| Punjab demands special package of Rs 7,410 cr from centre |
| BS Reporter / Chandigarh Aug 26, 2009, 17:06 IST |
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Punjab today demanded a special package of Rs. 7410 crore from the Centre to fight the drought like situation in the state. The package included Rs.4400 crore on increase of Rs.400 per quintal in MSP of Paddy, Rs.1100 crore as drought relief for Paddy and Cotton, Rs.1420 crore for Punjab State Electricity Board to compensate it for diversion of 3500 million units of power to agriculture sector from industrial commercial and domestic paying sectors, Rs.440 crore on hike of Rs.400 per quintal in MSP of cotton and Rs.50 crore on increase of Rs.100 per quintal in MSP of Maize.
The state also demanded that the MSP for paddy be immediately revised to Rs.1400 per quintal for fine grade and Rs.1350 for common grade. A delegation of SAD-BJP MPs and MLAs led by Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal called on Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh and Union Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar at New Delhi to press for these demands.
In a detailed Memorandum submitted by the delegation, the SAD-BJP leaders also drew the Center's attention to major damage suffered by maize and cotton growers because of alarming shortfall in rain during the sowing season. They demanded a separate relief package for this.
Later, talking to newspersons, Parkash Singh Badal said that the Centre had assured them of taking a "positive view" of the hardships being faced by the state and its farmers because of scanty rains in the state during the sowing season. "The Government of India should immediately announce relief package not only to save the beleaguered farmers of Punjab but to safeguard crucial national interest on food security," he said.
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