Pb Cong to move adjournment motion on farmer issues tomorrow

Punjab's main opposition Congress is going to bring an adjournment motion in the state Assembly Session tomorrow to draw attention of the SAD-BJP government to the plight of the farming community, a senior party leader today said.
Congress Legislative Party leader Sunil Jakhar said the decision was taken in consultation with party legislators who were in Delhi to participate in the 'Samman Rally' there.
He said Congress has submitted a list of principle issues the party sought to discuss on the floor of the House but till date there has been no response from the Speaker.
The main opposition can't afford to ignore that cotton growers had been financially ruined as the state government failed in checking white fly attack due to a "scam", he said.

"Purchase of sub-standard pesticides at exorbitant price to check attack by white fly on cotton had caused an irreparable loss to more than 65 percent of farmers in Malwa belt. Regretfully the ruling politicians had no time even to console the families of farmers who had committed suicides," the Congress leader alleged.
Alleging that the agriculture department headquarter was practically working as "SAD office", Jakhar said the central government in the past had earmarked a lot of funds to boost crop diversification but the department officials remained busy in attending Sangat Darshan or "paying visits to the political bosses".

"Farmers were not getting remunerative prices for the produce... They were forced to go in with distress sale as even MSP was not assured. The department had made no arrangements to launch awareness campaign to guide the farming community on important issues... This made farming non-viable," he said.

He said the Congress legislators will not hesitate to come on the roads if sufficient compensation against loss of cotton was not given. "It is unfortunate that many farmers who suffered heavily due to incessant rains last year were given cheques worth Rs 500 only as compensation."
"The UPA-led central government had released funds under the disaster management and other schemes but the same were widely siphoned off. We will expose such bungling in Vidhan Sabha," he said.