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Punjab Farmers
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Tuesday flagged off vehicles carrying 1,000 quintals of wheat seeds from his official residence as assistance for flood-affected farmers of Punjab. Addressing the event, the chief minister said the initiative reflected the state's commitment to stand with every distressed citizen, adding that the festival of Diwali gains true meaning when celebrated with a spirit of compassion and service. "At this difficult time, the Uttar Pradesh government stands firmly with the 'annadata' farmers of Punjab. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the double-engine government -- both the Centre and the state -- is committed to supporting every disaster-affected citizen through relief, financial aid and rehabilitation efforts," Adityanath said. According to an official statement, the chief minister noted Punjab's pivotal role in achieving agricultural self-sufficiency in India. However, heavy rains this year have severely disrupted lif
Punjab has seen 27 stubble burning cases in the last five days, even as authorities have launched an intensive campaign in hotspots of paddy straw burning in various districts to create awareness among farmers against this practice, officials said on Saturday. Stubble burning in Punjab and Haryana is often blamed for the rise in air pollution in Delhi after the harvesting of the paddy crop in October and November. As the window for the Rabi crop -- wheat -- is very short after paddy harvest, some farmers set afire the crop residue in the fields to quickly clear them for sowing the next crop. According to Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) data, a total of 27 crop residue burning incidents took place in four districts from September 15. A maximum of 18 stubble burning incidents have been reported in Amritsar, followed by five in Tarn Taran, three in Patiala and one in Ferozepur, it said. A fine of Rs one lakh in the shape of environmental compensation has been imposed on farmers
Punjab Cabinet Minister Aman Arora on Saturday slammed Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan for blaming illegal mining in rivers for flooding and alleged that the BJP leaders visit flood-hit areas for "photo-ops" instead of announcing financial aid for the state. Accusing the BJP of discriminating against Punjab, the ruling AAP said that the Union Minister did not announce "even a penny" in flood assistance despite the state government seeking payment of its "pending" Rs 60,000 crore from the central government. Chouhan had visited flood-ravaged areas in Amritsar, Gurdaspur and Kapurthala on Thursday. The Union Agriculture Minister had on Friday said he would submit a detailed report on the Punjab flood situation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The minister attributed the flooding partly to weakened embankments along the Sutlej, Beas, Ravi and Ghaggar rivers, compromised by illegal mining activities. In a post on X, he said, "When Atal ji was the prime minister and Parkash Sing
Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal has not ended his indefinite fast even though he drank a glass of water after farmers detained last week by the state police were released from different jails, farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar said on Saturday. The Punjab government on Friday told the Supreme Court that Dallewal accepted water and broke his fast. Countering the Punjab government's claims, Kohar said on Saturday Dallewal had made it clear he would take water only after all the farmers are released. "And Dallewal drank a glass of water after farmer leaders were released," said Kohar, a close aide of Dallewal. "We want to make it clear that a false impression was being given that Dallewal has ended his indefinite fast. His hunger strike continues." Punjab Advocate General Gurminder Singh told the apex court on Friday they dispersed on March 19 the farmers protesting at Khanauri and Shambhu border points with Haryana, and opened the roads and highways that were blocked due to th
Several farmer leaders including Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal were detained in Mohali while returning from a meeting with a central delegation, as Punjab Police also began evicting protesting farmers from Shambhu and Khanauri border points which have been closed for more than a year. Farmer leader Guramneet Singh Mangat said the farmer leaders were detained in Mohali while they were headed to the Shambhu protest site after the meeting with the delegation led by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema justified the eviction of farmers from the protest sites, saying industries and businesses have has been hit hard due to the prolonged closure of two highways -- "the lifelines of the state". "The AAP is committed to youths and generating employment. They will get jobs if the trade and industry functions smoothly," he said. There were signs from early in the day of impending police action at the two protest sites as
If the Centre's intentions are right, it should hold a meeting with the protesting farmers at the earliest rather than on February 14 which has been fixed now, Punjab Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian said on Sunday. His statement came a day after the Centre invited the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) for talks on February 14 at Chandigarh. "Dallewal's (farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal who has been on a fast-unto-death since November 26) health is worrisome. The ministry should hold the meeting with protesting farmers at the earliest," Khuddian told PTI on Sunday. "If their (Centre's) intentions are right then they should hold talks within a day or two." On Saturday, a high-level central delegation led by Ministry of Agriculture Joint Secretary Priya Ranjan met farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal and representatives of SKM (Non-Political) and KMM at the Khanauri border point, and invited them for resumption of talks on February ...
The Punjab government has formally rejected the Centre's draft policy on agricultural marketing, asserting that it is an attempt to bring back the "contentious" provisions of the three farms laws repealed in 2021 after a year-long protest by farmers. The state government noted that since agriculture marketing is a state subject, the government of India should not come up with any such policy and should leave it to the wisdom of the state to frame suitable policies on the subject as per their concerns and requirements. The Centre had last year shared the draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing with the state government for its views on it. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had already said the Centre was trying to "bring back" the now-repealed farm laws, referring to the draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing. The AAP-led Punjab government had termed the draft policy as an attempt to reintroduce the three central agricultural laws
All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) on Thursday said the Union Cabinet's decision to extend special subsidy on di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser would increase corporate profit rather than protect farmers' interests. "The All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS) views the cabinet decision of the NDA3 Government to extend special subsidy on di-ammonium phosphate DAP as facilitating corporate profit rather than protecting farmers interests," AIKS said in a statement on Thursday. The AIKS said theP of Urea has been statutorily fixed at Rs 266.50 per 45-kg bag since November 2012, but the prices of Muriate of Potash (MoP) increased from Rs 4,455 per tonne in 2009-10 to Rs 34,644 per tonne in 2023 (August). "The price of Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) increased from Rs 9,350 in 2009-10 to Rs 27,000 per tonne in 2023 (August). On the other hand, the fertiliser subsidy has been slashed substantially in the last three years to the tune of an accumulated sum of Rs 87,339 crore," the farmers' body said. "In
The Supreme Court on Tuesday deferred its hearing till January 2 on compliance of its order by the Punjab government on shifting of farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who has been fasting for past 35 days over various demands, to hospital. A vacation bench of Justices Surya Kant and Sudhanshu Dhulia listed the matter for further hearing on January 2 after Advocate General Gurminder Singh, appearing for the Punjab government, said that an application has been moved seeking three days more time for compliance of the court's December 20 order. Singh said that a team of negotiators are holdings talks with the protesting farmers at the protest site and efforts are being made to shift Dallewal to the nearby makeshift hospital on Punjab side of Khanauri border. The bench said it does not want to comment on the discussions with the protesting farmers and it only wants compliance of its earlier orders. It recorded the submissions of Singh and adjourned the hearing on the matter. Earlier
As Punjab farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal's fast-unto-death entered its 27th day on Sunday, doctors termed his health condition "critical". Doctors attending to him at the Khanauri border protest site reiterated that Dallewal is at the risk of cardiac arrest and multi-organ failure. Dallewal, 70, has been on a fast-unto-death at the Khanauri border point between Punjab and Haryana since November 26 to press the Centre to accept the agitating farmers' demands, including a legal guarantee for MSP on crops. A statement issued by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha said following the advice of doctors, the veteran farmer leader did not come on stage on Sunday. Due to the continuous hunger strike for 27 days, his immunity has become very weak, putting him at the risk of infection, the statement said. "His hands and feet were cold. Starvation is adversely affecting his nervous system, and vital organs like liver and kidneys," a doctor who examined Dall
Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Wednesday said farmers have given a call for 'Punjab bandh' on December 30 as he slammed the Centre for not accepting the demands of protesting farmers. Pandher said the decision to give the 'bandh' call was taken by the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-political) and Kisan Mazdoor Morcha. "There will be a complete 'bandh' on December 30," said Pandher. Addressing the media in Amritsar, Pandher said emergency services will remain operational during the 'bandh'. He appealed to people, including traders, businessmen, transporters to make the 'bandh' successful. "Like the 'Rail Roko' protest was a success. Similarly, the Punjab bandh should also be made successful," he said. Train services in Punjab were affected as farmers squatted on rail tracks at more than 50 places on Wednesday as part of their three-hour 'Rail Roko' protest to press the Centre into accepting their various demands, including a legally binding minimum support price for crops. Acco
Observing protesting farmers should adopt the Gandhian way, the Supreme Court on Friday ordered immediate medical aid to farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, whose health is deteriorating owing to his indefinite fast of over a fortnight at a Punjab-Haryana border. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and Ujjal Bhuyan directed the Centre and Punjab government representatives to immediately meet Dallewal, who has completed over 17 days of fast. "Farmers should not get violent and do peaceful agitation. They should adopt the Gandhian way of protests because their grievances are being looked into," the bench said after being informed that violent agitations had created problems at both the sites. The court further asked to provide him with medical help and persuade him to break his indefinite fast saying his life was precious. "It is the bounden duty of the state of Punjab and union of India to take all peaceful measures and provide adequate immediate medical aid to Dallewal without forcing