Agriculture policy almost ready, says Punjab CM Mann amid farmers protest

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Wednesday said the state's agriculture policy is almost ready and his government will call stakeholders for further consultation.

The statement came amid a protest by the Bharti Kisan Union (Ugrahan) and the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union which are pressing for the implementation of the agriculture policy.

Participating in the discussion on the concluding day of the three-day Punjab Assembly session, Mann said the agriculture policy is almost ready.

"We will speak to stakeholders, (farmers) unions and organisations related to farming in this regard," he said in the state assembly.

Mann said his government always supports that policies should be framed with the consultation of stakeholders, unlike the Union government which introduces its policies without applying mind and consulting the people.

He cited the example of the three farm laws which were later withdrawn by the BJP-led government at the Centre after protests by the farming community.

Farmers under the banner of the BKU (Ugrahan) and the Punjab Khet Mazdoor Union began a five-day protest on Sunday here to press for their demands including implementation of the agriculture policy.

Meanwhile, BKU (Ugrahan) leader Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said the chief minister will hold a meeting with the representatives of farmers on Thursday.

In the assembly, Mann also said that he raised the issue of shortage of DAP fertilizer with Union Minister J P Nadda.

Mann further said the state government has already implemented a one-time settlement scheme (OTS) for traders in pending value added tax cases.

The state government received Rs 164 crore through this OTS scheme, he said.

Earlier during the question hour, Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh said he will meet a central minister on Thursday in Delhi after Congress MLA Pargat Singh pointed towards non-release of Rs 1,750 crore of National Health Mission funds by the Centre to Punjab.

"They (Centre) withheld the NHM funds as they have allergy to 'aam aadmi clinics'," said the health minister.

Singh further said he will meet the concerned minister along with his staff in Delhi on Thursday.

The state's AAP government has been at loggerheads with the Centre over the funds under the NHM.

The Union health ministry had earlier accused the Punjab government of converting Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWC) into 'aam aadmi clinics'.

The Punjab health minister said, "Health is predominantly a state subject. They (the central government) are insisting on branding while we are talking about co-branding (of aam aadmi clinics)."

In July this year, the Centre had told Parliament that Punjab has not adhered to the branding guidelines for Ayushman Bharat-Health and Wellness Center, now known as Ayushman Arogya Mandir, violating guidelines on the scheme for special assistance to states for capital investment 2023-24.

Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Manpreet Singh Ayali said villagers in Bhundri, Akhara, Muskabad in Ludhiana district have been opposing the setting up of three biogas plants.

They claimed that foul smell will emanate from these plants, said the MLA while demanding that these plants should not be allowed to be set up.

Later, the speaker adjourned the House sine die.