WHEAT NORM RELAXATION: Amarinder urges Paswan to withdraw ‘unjustified’ value cut

The CM had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 28, seeking a review of the decision to safeguard the interests of state farmers

Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Friday wrote to Union minister of consumer affairs and public distribution Ram Vilas Paswan, seeking immediate withdrawal of the “unjustified” value cut imposed on wheat growers in lieu of relaxation in procurement norms due to luster loss and shrivelled grain.

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The CM had written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 28, seeking a review of the decision to safeguard the interests of state farmers.

Demanding Paswan’s prompt intervention to re-examine the issue to protect the farmers’ income, Amarinder said the imposition of a value cut on the earnings of the farmers for reasons beyond their control is unjustified.

Amarinder apprised the Union minister about two important demands raised by the state government during an earlier discussion with him – the relaxation in wheat procurement norms for shrivelled grain/lustre loss and the release of administrative and arhtiya charges, which had been acceded by the ministry.

He said the issue of relaxation in norms for wheat without value cut had not been addressed so far.

“These cuts are completely unreasonable since there were unseasonal (spells of) rain in the state in March, and the farmers were unable to take preventive measures for saving the wheat crop as a result of lockdown across the country,” he said.