Farm legal guidelines, DBT ‘one-sided’ choices, encroaching upon state’s rights, says Captain Amarinder

Accusing Centre of “encroaching upon” the rights of states, Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh Monday castigated the Union authorities for imposing farm legal guidelines and Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) on state’s farmers in what he termed as “one-sided” choices.
“Assi desh nu ann dita, kheti bhandaar assi bharey (we provided food grains to the country and filled the granaries of the country). As per the Constitution of India, agriculture is a state subject. The economy of Punjab is dependent on agriculture. You made farm laws without consulting the state, which has made maximum contribution to the nation’s food buffer,” Amarinder stated.
Inaugurating a two-day digital Kisan Mela of Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), the CM alleged that within the title of “so-called reforms”, the Centre was making an attempt to destroy the prevailing relations and techniques that had labored effectively for over 100 years. Punjab’s farmers and arhtiyas have loved age-old cordial ties amongst them, which the Centre was “hell-bent on damaging”, he stated.
“The Centre has deliberately impinged upon the state’s power, thus jeopardizing the basic structure of democracy…Had the Centre been sincere about finding a workable solution to this problem, it would have either consulted the Punjab government or the state’s farmers, as Punjab alone contributes over 40 per cent of foodgrain to the national pool,” he asserted.
Expressing grief over demise of farmers through the ongoing stir towards farm legal guidelines, he added: “I stand with the farmers sitting along with their families at the borders of Delhi.”

Claiming that 144 farmers have died up to now throughout their agitation, he stated his authorities was giving Rs 5 lakh and a job to a kin of the deceased farmers, whereas the Centre continued to be “insensitive to their pain”.
CM urges farmers to get vaccinated
Speaking concerning the pandemic, Amarinder appealed to farmers to get vaccinated to guard themselves towards coronavirus. He urged all Punjabis to take precautionary measures and observe the fundamental Covid protocol comparable to sporting masks, washing palms, and sustaining social distancing.
He asserted that although the state of affairs within the state was alarming, he would “not allow it to become another Mumbai”.
Depleting water sources a priority: CM
Voicing his concern over depleting water sources within the state, he stated, “The Himalayan glaciers are melting and the weather pattern is changing and this is going to affect Punjab. As per the 1985 report by the state water resource department, warnings were issued and dark zones were declared but ignoring those warnings, tubewells were installed in the dark zones. This has aggravated the water problem.”
Stating that Guru Nanak Dev Ji highlighted the significance of water in his teachings, he urged the farmers to shift to horticultural crops comparable to vegatables and fruits to save lots of water. He additionally expressed concern over micronutrient deficiencies comparable to manganese and zinc deficiencies in varied crops.

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CM referred to as upon the farmers to make considered use of pesticides in basmati (for export goal), and to observe recommendation of PAU specialists. Referring to paddy straw administration, he stated in addition to energy era, new strategies to be devised for the usage of straw.
He advised GADVASU to take initiative of embryo switch.
Dr Baldev Singh Dhillon, Vice-Chancellor, PAU stated that college’s tireless efforts have resulted in enhancing soil natural carbon (from 0.3 to 0.5) and use of biofertilizers, and bringing down fertilizer in addition to pesticide utilization. Neem has been advisable in cotton (for whitefly administration), paddy and different crops for insect-pest administration, he added.
“To give processing a boost, PAU has established a Skill Development Centre and Food Industry Business Incubation Centre where farmers can come to acquire training and avail incubational facilities,” he stated.

Dhillon additionally suggested the farmers to attach with PAU by means of Kheti Sandesh, Facebook Live programme, PAU Kisan App, PAU Farm Inputs App, and so forth. He knowledgeable that the state agriculture division in affiliation with PAU is organising 1,000 coaching camps in 10,000 villages to information the farmers relating to manufacturing and safety applied sciences for Kharif crops. In addition, he apprised the farmers of the equipment being developed by PAU for mat sort nursery elevating and pea harvesting.
Dr Inderjeet Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Guru Angad Dev Veterinary and Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), highlighted the efforts, actions and tasks being run by his college for the event of animal husbandry. “A herbal preparation, under the Ministry of AYUSH, is underway with which farmers can cure the diseases in animals,” he stated.

Dr Jaskarn Singh Mahal, Director of Extension Education, PAU, stated the Virtual Kisan Mela organised final 12 months noticed the web participation of greater than 2.50 lakh farmers, farm girls and rural youth. Seeing the response, it was determined to carry a digital mela this 12 months too.
(With inputs from PTI)