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Punjab arhtiyas call off strike after talks with government
Punjab arhtiyas call off strike after talks with government
Chandigarh, Commission agents, known as 'arhtiyas' in Punjab, on Wednesday announced that they were calling of the week-long strike after a meeting with the agriculture and water resources ministers, paving the way for procurement at mandis.
The arhtiyas had been on strike, demanding 2.5 per cent of the minimum support price as commission.
Following the chief minister's directions, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khudian and Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal held detailed discussions with a delegation of agents, led by Vijay Kalra, president of the Punjab Federation of Arhtiyas Association, on their various demands here.
Following the state government's assurance of a sympathetic consideration and the resolution of genuine issues of arhtiyas, the federation announced the immediate withdrawal of the strike.
Khudian said, "The inclement weather conditions have hit our farmers hard. There is no doubt that all of us the government, arhtiyas and other stakeholders survive and thrive only because of our farmers. No one can single-handedly protect from the hardships ordained by nature, but together we can certainly stand by each other."
He further assured the arhtiyas that his doors were always open for dialogue and said, "It is not necessary that we always hold a big formal meeting to resolve issues. Even small, sincere conversations can solve big problems. If any arhtiya or farmer faces any difficulty, just let me know. We will sit together and find a solution."
Kalra said, "We are a family. Families resolve their differences through dialogue and the farmer remains our priority."
Directing the officials to ensure a smooth, transparent and hassle-free wheat procurement, Khudian reiterated the Punjab government's unwavering commitment to safeguard the interests of farmers while ensuring that the legitimate concerns of arhtiyas will be addressed at the earliest.
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
