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Farmers end stir after Punjab CM Mann’s assurance on cane prices
Farmers demonstrating on a railway track and the national highway in Jalandhar demanding an increase in sugarcane prices lifted their stir on Friday after chief minister Bhagwant Mann assured them of “good news” in the coming days.
Farmers demonstrating on a railway track and the national highway in Jalandhar demanding an increase in sugarcane prices lifted their stir on Friday after chief minister Bhagwant Mann assured them of “good news” in the coming days.
Farmers under the banner of the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) had blocked the Jalandhar-Phagwara section of the Jalandhar-New Delhi National Highway near Dhanowali village for an “indefinite period” on Tuesday.
The decision of the farmers came on the fourth day of their demonstration after a meeting here between union leaders and the chief minister ended on a positive note.
The farmers were demanding a hike in sugarcane assured price from ₹380 to ₹450 per quintal, single window and counter-payment system at sugar mills, compensation for sugarcane crop damaged due to floods and other factors.
The chief minister said that the state government will continue to give the highest rate to sugarcane cultivators of the state in the coming times too.
Interacting with mediapersons after parleys with the farmers unions in Punjab Bhawan on Friday, the CM said as far as increasing the rate of sugarcane goes, Punjab has always been ahead and now also this trend would be continued. He said that the state government was giving ₹380 per quintal as the state agreed price (SAP) of the sugarcane which was highest in the country till Haryana had recently enhanced it to ₹386 per quintal.
Mann said the state government will soon give “good news” to the farmers by upward revision of this price, after having a meeting with sugarcane mill owners, in the coming days.
The CM said, “For the first time in the history of the state the government has cleared all pending arrears of sugarcane farmers, which were inherited from the previous governments.”
The CM said that his doors are open for dialogue with any section of society but harassment of the common man on the pretext of protests is totally unacceptable. He said that this trend needs to be checked so that the public does not face any inconvenience due to the protests.
Mann said that the state government has made all out efforts to check the menace of stubble burning in the state. He said that it is strange to note that despite all efforts, Punjab is being blamed for the deteriorating AQI in the national capital.
The CM advocated incentivising the farmers for not burning the paddy straw and promotion of crop diversification. He said that along with this the farmers should be given MSP for the alternative crops thereby supplementing their income in a big way.
Manjit Singh Rai, SKM activist, who was among the farm union leaders to take part in the meeting, said their meeting with the CM remained successful as Mann assured that new prices of the sugarcane will be announced on November 28, while the cooperative mill will start crushing on the same day.
“We are assured by the state government of a good hike in sugarcane prices,” he said.
30 trains cancelled; 13 short terminated
On Friday, 54 trains had a detrimental impact due to Farmer protest in the Ferozepur railway division.
In an official statement, the railway divison’s spokesperson in Ferozepur said prioritising passenger safety and convenience, the railway administration decided to cancel trains or do partial cancellations and diversions of 54 trains affected by the protest.
Notably, 30 trains were cancelled, including those on routes such as Jalandhar City to Ferozepur Cantt, Ferozepur Cantt to Jalandhar City, Jalandhar City to Jaijon Doaba, Lohian Khas to Ludhiana, Ambala Cantt to Ludhiana, Ludhiana to Chheharta, Chheharta to Ludhiana, Ludhiana to Lohian khas, Jalandhar City to Ambala Cantt, Hoshiarpur to Ludhiana, Nakodar to Jalandhar City, Jalandhar City to Nakodar.
As many as 13 trains were short terminated, with altered destinations such as Rishikesh to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, Jaisalmer to Jammu Tawi, Ajmer to Amritsar, Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus to Amritsar, Katihar to Amritsar, Dr. Ambedkar Nagar to Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, Guwahati to Jammu Tawi, Saharsa to Amritsar, Tata Nagar to Amritsar, Varanasi to Jammu Tawi, Kolkata to Jammy Tawi, Howrah to Amritsar, Dhanbad to Amritsar.
Another set of 9 trains were short originated with modified starting points, including Amritsar to Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus, Amritsar to Katihar, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra to Dr. Ambedkar Nagar, Jammu Tawi to Guwahati, Amritsar to Saharsa, Amritsar to Ajmer, Amritsar to Tata Nagar, Jammu Tawi to Varanasi, Ferozepur to Dhanbad. Whereas two trains were diverted, Jammu Tawi to New Delhi and Martyr Captain Tushar Mahajan to Kota.
