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Punjab CM tells PM urgency to resolve farmers' grievances

KT NEWS SERVICE. Dated: 2/21/2021 12:25:30 PM

NEW DELHI, Feb 20: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, who skipped the virtual meeting of Niti Aayog on health ground, on Saturday urged Prime Minister Modi chairing the meeting to ensure an urgent resolution of the farmers' agitation "to the satisfaction of the protesting farmers by addressing all their grievances."
In his speech submitted to the virtual meeting of the Aayog, he reiterated his government's stand that agriculture is a state subject and so it should be left for the states to make the laws in the true spirit of "cooperative federalism" in the Constitution. He also pointed to the state amendments in the central laws that were passed by the Punjab Assembly in October.
The chief minister said any reform that affects 60% of the country's workforce must be done only through extensive consultation with all stakeholders. He noted that Punjab is a key state in the farming sector as it is in the forefront of ensuring food security to the country.
He also urged the Prime Minister to instil proper confidence in the farmers of the state by dispelling their fear that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) would be discontinued as per the Shanta Kumar Committee report of 2015 that had called for the Food Corporation of India stop procurement of the food grains. He pointed out the agitating farmers' demand for enactment of a law on the guarantee of the government procurement of all farm produces.