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Dooji Punjab Sarkar-Kisan Milni: No CM at event, delayed start leave farmers disappointed
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann, who was expected to attend the event as the chief guest, could not make it to the event due to some health issues
The Dooji Punjab Sarkar-Kisan Milni and NRI Farmers’ Conclave hosted by Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) on Thursday left several farmers high and dry as contrary to their expectations there was no in-person interaction with government officials.
Chief minister Bhagwant Mann, who was expected to attend the event as the chief guest, could not make it to the event due to some health issues.
Thousands of farmers who gathered at PAU from across the state were disappointed by the last-minute cancellation of the chief minister’s visit to the event.
They were also irked as the event that was supposed to end at 1.25 pm began at 1.45 pm.
Manjeet Singh, 61, sitting in the first row waiting for the event to start, said, “I have travelled all the way from Moga to be part of the event. It was scheduled to begin by 11 am and now it is quarter past 1. People like me who have to travel back to their respective hometowns might have to leave by the time the event begins.”
The government-farmer meet aimed at addressing the farmers’ issues and their suggestions for the framing of new agricultural policy by June 30. Though it witnessed a huge footfall, the participants claimed that it lacked meaningful channels of interactions.
Shortly after the event started, the CM tweeted, “Today, the second government-farmer meeting was organised at PAU in which farmers came from all over the state and government ministers and officers were also present. We are taking decisions in consultation with farmers. We are also bringing agricultural policy soon...our priority is to make farmers profitable”.
There were 11 “salah mashwara” stalls put up by the organisers where farmers queued up to seek solutions to their field problems.
The stalls were visited by minister of agriculture and NRI affairs Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal, who was the chief guest, and animal husbandry minister Laljit Singh Bhullar, who was the guest of honour.
Concerns like surfeit water, extensive usage of fertilisers and agro-chemicals were also raised before the agriculture minister.
“Farmers of Punjab who are concerned about the future of agriculture are present here. Their suggestions are valuable, and we will work upon them,” said Dhaliwal.
Bhullar in his address said the state government was serious in checking the exodus of youth from Punjab and making all-out efforts in promoting animal husbandry for doubling farm income.
During the meet, 14 innovative farmers and agricultural scientists from Australia, Canada, USA, Tanzania and Zambia were felicitated for making a mark in the international arena.
Agriculture technocrats stage protest
Agriculture technocrats from across the state, who were present there, protested against the large-scale transfer of agricultural extension officers to the nominated posts of agricultural development officers (ADO) by the department of agriculture and farmers welfare, Punjab.
Punjab Agricultural University’s contractual non-teaching staff and daily wage labourers, who have been protesting for the last 80 days at PAU, also submitted a letter to the agriculture minister, seeking regularisation.
