Punjab arhtiyas call off strike after agriculture minister’s assurance

The agriculture minister, along with Punjab mandi board chairman Harchand Singh Barsat, was chairing a meeting with the representatives of the Federation of Arhtiyas Association of Punjab led by its president Vijay Kalra here at Kisan Bhawan to discuss their issues and concerns

The Punjab government on Thursday said the protesting arhtiyas (commission agents) of the state have called off their strike with immediate effect following an assurance from agriculture and farmers welfare minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian.

The arhtiyas went on a strike against the government’s decision to freeze their commission and for other demands (File)

The agriculture minister, along with Punjab mandi board chairman Harchand Singh Barsat, was chairing a meeting with the representatives of the Federation of Arhtiyas Association of Punjab led by its president Vijay Kalra here at Kisan Bhawan to discuss their issues and concerns.

Khudian asked the commission agents, procurement agencies and mandi board to ensure that farmers do not face any kind of difficulty, according to an official release. The arhtiyas went on a strike against the government’s decision to freeze their commission and for other demands.

On issues related to biometric procurement system and EPF, the agriculture minister assured them that their concerns would be taken up with the Union minister of consumer affairs, food and public distribution. He also asked the deputy general manager of Food Corporation of India to present a report on these issues within 10 days.

Punjab mandi board secretary Amrit Kaur Gill apprised the agriculture minister regarding the current status of implementation of biometric procurement system in the state. She said the system has been put in place in 876 state mandis so far.