Centre announced inadequate MSP for wheat-Sukhbir Singh Badal

Barnala, 29 January
Harmeet Singh Dhillon

"Amid Congress led Centre government's anti-farmer policies, it announced an inadequate Rs. 1080 per quintal Minimum Support Price (MSP) for wheat, whereas UPA government had paid higher prices for the import of same", said Shiromani Akali Dal President, Deputy Chief Minister, Sukhbir Singh Badal while talking to media here, today. He alleged that Centre played dirty politics during purchase of paddy and cotton and now it had decided not to pay back even the labor of the farmers.
Commenting on the decrease in oil prices Mr. Badal said that reduction in petrol and diesel prices by congress lead UPA government was just an eye wash. He said the UPA government was just deceiving the people on this issue as crude prices had decreased from 147 $ to 32 $ per barrel which was equivalent to oil prices five years back. He alleged that Congress is doing so to benefit some companies. He said logically, the prices should be reduced to the level in the country five years back.
Shiromani Akali Dal President Sukhbir Singh Badal promised that NDA will give satisfactory prices to farmers for their produce and will reduce the petrol oil prices in proportionate to the fall in the international price of crude after coming in power at centre. He said that SAD-BJP government in state is working on development agenda and people of the state will witness enormous changes in coming years. Addressing the various gathering today, Mr. Badal appeals voters to vote in favor of SAD-BJP alliance in coming Lok Sabha elections. He said that majority of powers were in the hands of centre government so if people of the state want them to work more efficiently they vote in the favor of alliance as it is committed for the development.
During today's visit of the Deputy Chief Minister distributed Rs. 8.82 Crore for the development of 158 villages and Rs. 7 Crore for urban development of the district besides laying foundation stone of Adarsh school at village Kaleka. He also participated in the ceremony of mass marriage of 101 couples as a chief guest. Newly appointed District Planning board Chairman Sant Balvir Singh Ghunas also took charge in the presence of Shiromani Akali Dal President. Mr. Badal provided Rs. 2.04 Crore for Barnala constituency, Rs. 3.62 Crore for Bhadaur constituency and Rs. 3.16 Crore for Dhanaula constituency. For urban development he provided Rs. 1 Crore for Dhanaula Municipal Committee, Rs. 3 Crore for Barnala Municipal Committee, Rs. 1 Crore for Handiaya Municipal Committee and Rs. 1 Crore for Tapa Municipal Committee.
During today's visit Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was accompanied by MP Sukhdev Singh Dhindsa, PWD minister Parminder Singh Dhindsa, Ex-MLA Malkiat Singh Keetu, SGPC member Tek Singh Dhanaula and Sant Balvir Singh Ghunas.

10 OFFICIALS OF MUNICIPAL COUNCIL CHARGE
SHEETED IN THE STATE

Chandigarh January 29, 2009
Naginder Singh

Vigilance Cell of the Local Government Department on the orders of Mr. Manoranjan Kalia Local Government Minister Punjab has conducted surprise inspections of Municipal Council Jagraon, Ferozepur and Improvement Trust Moga. Teams headed by Mr. A.K. Prabhakar Chief Vigilance Officer conducted inspections during which major building violations were observed. Mr. Manoranjan Kalia has taken a serious view of the irregularities and ten responsible officials have been charge sheeted.

Mr. Sukhdarshan Singh J.E, Mr. Mandhir Singh AME and Mr. Surinder Kumar E.O, of Municipal Council Jagroan and Mr. Charan Pal Singh J.E, Mr. Karam Singh AME, Mr. Jagir Chand Joshan AME and Mr. Jagdish Chander Wadhwa E.O of Municipal Ferozepur. Similarly Mr. Sukhjir Singh S.O and Mr. Krishan Officer of Municipal Council Moga has also been charge sheeted.

PB CM AND DY.CM DESCRIBES HIKE OF RS.80/- PER QUINTAL
IN MSP OF WHEAT AS A CRUEL JOKE WITH FARMERS

CHANDIGARH JANUARY 29, 2009

The Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today described the hike of Rs.80 per quintal in Minimum Support Price (MSP) of wheat as totally inadequate and is a stab in the back of the farmers' community. He demanded that the MSP of wheat should have been fixed atleast at Rs.1400 per quintal saying that the Centre should have announced an increase of Rs.400/- per quintal in Minimum Support Price (MSP) of wheat instead of Rs.80.
In another statement, the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the Central decision to give a meager hike of Rs.80/- per quintal in the MSP of wheat was an eye-wash. "This arbitrary decision on part of the government of India amounted to rubbing salt into the wounds of the beleaguered peasantry besides adding up their woes", said Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal.

In a statement, they said that the non-remunerative MSP coupled with anti-farmer policies of Centre was primarily responsible for the slow down of the agricultural growth.

The Chief Minister said that though his government had been constantly pleading the case of Punjab's beleaguered peasantry which was in great distress and demanded MSP of at least Rs.1400/- per quintal of wheat from the Government of India.

Mr. Badal lamented that it was a paradoxical situation that the MSP demanded by farming community was far below the price at which the country was importing wheat from Australia and there was hardly any justification to deprive the local producers of the same price.

The Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister rued the insignificant increase of Rs.80 in the MSP of wheat was nothing short of 'stabbing in the back of the farmers', despite fully realizing their sad plight which compelled them to end their lives by taking extreme measures like suicides.

"Center's unabated assault of excesses on the farmers are still on and its deliberated denial of financial package to Punjab on Vidharbha pattern was also a pointer towards the apathetic and step motherly treatment meted out to the Punjabi farmers", they asserted.

PUNJAB CM AND DY CM ASSAILS CENTRE'S DECISION ON NOMINAL REDUCTION IN PETROLEUM PRODUCTS DESCRIBES IT AS A 'POLL GIMMICK'

CHANDIGARH JANUARY 29, 2009

The Punjab Government today dubbed the nominal reduction in the prices of petrol; diesel and LPG announced by the Centre on Wednesday night as a mere eyewash.

In a joint statement, Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal and Deputy Chief Minister Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal said that the reduction of Rs.25, Rs. 5 and Rs. 2 in the prices of LPG, Petrol and diesel respectively was pathetic and vastly disproportionate to the massive fall in the prices of crude oil in the international market.

They said that crude oil prices have fallen from $ 155-160 to just $ 37 per barrel in the international market, in other words, these prices have fallen by 4-5 times. "Since the government of India had hiked diesel prices in the domestic market ostensibly because of the rise in the price of crude in the world markets, there is no reason why it should not announce a corresponding reduction in the background of new market realities", they demanded.

They further said that UPA government had always been inimical to the common man especially the poor and middle classes. "This decision of nominal reduction in fuel and LPG prices is only further proof of this anti poor attitude of the Center", they said.

Describing this decision as a "poll gimmick" eying on the forthcoming parliamentary elections, they decried the Centre saying it should have slashed these prices liberally immediately at the time of reduction in the international market to the advantage of a common man.

They pointed out that the costs of agricultural inputs have shown a major increase as a direct fall out of the inflationary pressures on the international oil market in recent months. They mentioned that the GoI always used the slightest increase in crude prices as a pretext to hike the prices of agricultural inputs such as diesel, urea and some other petroleum based products. The farmers always had to bear the brunt of market trends in oil prices. As a result, agriculture has become increasingly un-remunerative, putting a massive burden on the peasantry and a severe strain on farm economy in general.
"Continued indifference and neglect of the Punjab farmers by the Centre can have adverse consequences for the future of national food security, asserted the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister.