Punjab govt to hold mega agri summit in Feb: Badal

Efforts are on to tap solar and biomass energy in the state, says Badal

To deliberate on ways to bail out Punjab farmers from current agrarian crisis, government will invite progressive farmers, experts and leading agriculture companies from across the globe at a mega summit, Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today said.

Punjab government will organise the two-day mega agriculture summit on February 23-24 to provide impetus to the agriculture sector, Badal said.

"Punjab is basically an agrarian economy so due focus needs to be given for the development of agriculture, for which this upcoming summit will act as main catalyst," Badal said while interacting with media persons on the sidelines of a function in Badiala in Bathinda.

Badal said along with industrial development, thrust should also be given to the development of agriculture.

The Chief Minister further said the recently concluded investors' summit has scripted a new chapter in industrial development as it attracted more than Rs 65,000 crore of investments.

Badal said he was mulling to hold separate summits for healthcare and education.

To another query, he said, Punjab has now become a power-surplus state due to the efforts of state government.

He said efforts are on to tap solar and biomass energy in the state.

Badal said that government will soon hold meetings to study the feasibility of using Paddy straws to produce power.

Earlier, addressing the gathering, the Chief Minister said countrymen were fed up of "anti-people" policies of the Union government and they were eagerly waiting to show them the door in the next Lok Sabha polls.

He said the results of four states in recently concluded polls were reflective of the simmering anger of people against the "misrule" of UPA government.

Badal said that there's an "NDA wave" across the nation, adding that the coalition will form the government at the Centre.