PUNJAB TO IMPLEMENT NEW STRATEGIC VISION PLAN TO TRANSFORM MILKFED
Milkfed to set up milk estates on the pattern of industrial estates
One day field workshop at a commercial dairy farm set up in Ludhiana

Chandigarh, October 15, 2008

The Punjab Government has embarked upon a new strategic vision plan to transform Milkfed Punjab to a full modern and professional organization of National level. The vision plan is being finalized with the assistance of Rabo Bank and NABARD and would be implemented in coming two months.

Presiding over a high level meeting to review the performance of Milkfed, the Punjab Cooperation Minister Capt. Kanwaljit Singh said that it was high time to market Verka brand through out the world as this brand had already carved a niche with its quality in fresh milk as well as in various milk products. But in the change scenario and new market trends it becomes imperative to lay more emphasis on the promotion of Verka brand and underlined the need to launch an innovative and aggressive advertising policy for this purpose.

Capt. Singh directed the MD Milkfed to explore the possibilities of setting up of milk estates on the pattern of industrial estates at the common places through out the state with quality infrastructure as well as animal health care facilities besides ensuring the up gradation of present infrastructure at milk collection centers to turn them in automatic milk collection centers with electro milko testers facilities as it was the back bone of procurement chain of Milkfed.

The Cooperation Minister announced to hold a one day field workshop at a commercial dairy farm set up by Milkfed in Ludhiana district next month to discuss and sort-out the problems being faced by the dairy farmers.

While explaining the modernization initiatives of Milkfed, Capt. Singh informed that a new butter wrapping and carton packing machine worth Rs 5 Crore had been imported from Germany and was being installed at Ludhiana alongwith a new atomiser of Rs 92 lakhs. Capacity of Chandigarh Plant was being tripled with an expenditure of Rs 10 Crore and it would be completed by March 2009. Similarly, Capacity of Mohali Plant being increased from 1 lakh Kg/day to 3 lakh Kg/day with an expenditure of Rs 15 Crore. He further said that the Capacity of Cattle Feed Plant was also being increased from 300 MT/day to 500 MT/day at the cost of Rs. 8 Crores. A 50 MT bye pass protein feed plant was to be set up at Bhattian at cost of Rs 1.5 Crores. A hi- tech central milk testing laboratory is being set up at Mohali by investing Rs. 2 Crore, he added.

Expressing satisfaction over the ever increasing annual turn over of Milkfed , which is at present Rs 931 Crores, Capt. Singh hoped that it would touch Rs. 1200 Crore mark on the completion of current financial year.

The Cooperation Minister directed the officials of MILKFED to work hard in a result oriented manner by fixing challenging targets for 2nd white revolution to bring prosperity to milk producers and to ensure best quality milk and milk products for the consumers.

Earlier Mr. Gurbachan Singh Babehali Chairman MILKFED and MLA from Gurdaspur welcomed the Cooperation Minister at MILKFED office. Mr V K Singh Managing Director of MILKFED made a presentation before the Minister indicating performance and achievements of Dairy Cooperatives in the state. Performance was reviewed in light of previous directions of the Cooperation Minister when he had given targets for MILKFED and District Milk Unions. Half yearly performance was also reviewed. The meeting was also attended by Ms. Kusumjit Sidhu, Financial Commissioner Cooperation and Sh. Viswajeet Khanna, Registrar Cooperative Societies, Punjab.

PUNJAB CM CONDOLES THE SAD DEMISE OF THE MOTHER OF JASBIR SINGH SHAMEEL

CHANDIGARH OCTOBER 15:

Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today expressed profound grief and sorrow over the sad demise of Smt. Kuldeep Kaur the mother of Mr. Jasbir Singh Shameel the editor of International Punjabi magazine 'Parvasi' who passed away at village Thouna in District Ropar.

Mr. Badal expressed his heartfelt sympathies with the members of the bereaved family and prayed to the Almighty to grant peace to the departed soul and give strength and courage to them to bear this irreparable loss.

Member Parliament and President Shiromani Akali Dal Mr. Sukhbir Singh Badal also condoled the death of Smt. Kuldeep Kaur.

Information & Public Relations Minister Mr.Bikram Singh Majithia also shared his condolences with the bereaved family. Media Advisor, Harcharan Bains, Mr. D.S. Jaspal and Mr. Tejveer Singh, Principal Secretary and Director Information & Public Relations Department Punjab also mourned the death of Smt. Kuldeep Kaur.

BADAL REVIEWS THE POSITION OF DAP SUPPLY
STATE RECEIVES 2.33 OUT OF 3.50 LAKH MT OF DAP

CHANDIGARH OCTOBER 15, 2008

Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal urged the Government of India to ensure timely supply of DAP as per State's demand in view of the ensuing Rabi 2008-09.

While reviewing the position with regard to the availability of DAP here at his official residence late last evening, Mr. Badal directed the state Chief Secretary and Financial Commissioner Development to regularly monitor the supply and also keep liaison with Department of Fertilizers, GoI for uninterrupted and adequate supply of DAP. He also asked the Chief Secretary to be in touch with Ministry of Railways to ensure smooth supply of DAP through adequate and timely availability of rakes to the state.

The Chief Minister appealed to the farmers not to be panicky as there was no shortage of DAP at present. He also urged them to make judicious use of fertilizers as per the expert advice of the farm scientists.

It was informed in the meeting against the requirement of 3.50 lakh MT of DAP up to October 25, 2.33 lakh MT had been received in the state. The state had a stock of about 1.52 lakh MT as on 1st October and another 80,000 MT to date. About 50% of DAP would be supplied to the farmers through cooperative sector and remaining 50% by the private traders. In addition, the state had received 7,907 MT of complex fertilizers and another 5000 MT was likely to be received by October 25, 2008.

The meeting with attended by Media Advisor to Chief Minister Mr. Harcharan Bains, Chief Secretary RI Singh, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister DS Guru, Financial Commissioner Development RS Sandhu and Director Agricultural Balwinder Singh Sidhu.

PADDY PROCUREMENT CROSSES 44 LAC TONNES MARK IN PUNJAB

Chandigarh, October 15: Paddy procurement in Punjab crossed 44 Lac tonnes mark in Punjab with Mandis of Forozepur division maintaining its lead.

According to an official spokesman by Tuesday, Paddy procurement by six government agencies and traders reached 43,94,899 tonnes in Punjab. He said that PUNGRAIN procured 10,38,176 tonnes of paddy (26.4%) whereas MARKFED procured 9,13,295 tonnes of paddy (23.2%). PUNSUP procured 9,12,884 tonnes of paddy (23.2%) whereas Punjab State Warehousing Corporation procured 5, 27,115 tonnes of paddy (13.4%) besides 4,94,909 tonnes of paddy (12.6%) procured by Punjab Agro. The Central Government Agency FCI procured only 52,998 tonnes of paddy (1.3%). The Millers procured 4, 55,522 tonnes of paddy (10.4 %) by Tuesday.

The mandis in Amritsar Division recorded 14,66,327 tonnes of paddy with Kapurthala recording maximum paddy by Tuesday to the tune of 3, 42,316 tonnes. The mandis of Ferozepur division recorded 22,56,862 tonnes of paddy with maximum of 8,55,269 tonnes of paddy being recorded by Ferozepur district.

The spokesman said that six government agencies have paid over Rs. 2391.70 crores for paddy procured by agencies during first 15 days of current Kharif Marketing Season.

The spokesman said that farmers of the State are being made payment of paddy procured by the government agencies within 48 hours of lifting of paddy from the procurement centres.

The Punjab Food Supply had setup 1622 procurement centres throughout the state to ensure smooth procurement of paddy.

RS 137.43 CRORE TO BE SPENT ON STRENGHTHENING AND WIDENING OF RIVER GHAGGAR- SEKHON

Chandigarh Oct. 15 Keeping in view to protect Agricultural land and crops from the floods, the Punjab Government has taken historic decision to spend Rs 137.43 crore on strengthening and widening of river Ghaggar from KHANOURI to Karail and Khanouri to Makrour sahib, in Sangrur district of the state.

Revealing this here today, Punjab Irrigation Minister ,Mr Janmeja Singh Sekhon ,said that this historic scheme first of its kind after Independence would going to be launched by ,the Punjab Chief Minister S Parkash Singh Badal, on Oct. 17, 2008 which would be the red letter day in the history of Punjab irrigation.

Giving more details regarding this scheme, Mr Sekhon said on completion of this project,60000 acres of Agricultural land of 44 villages of district Sangrur and Patiala would be saved from the flood waters. Under this scheme 40 Kms length of river ghaggar would be widened and banks would also be constructed on both sides of the river to tame the floods. With this the capacity would also be increased to carry 25000 Cusecs of water. In first phase 22.45 Kms length would be widened and strengthened upto village Makrour Sahib.

Mr Sekhon further said that 668 acres of land falling under widening and construction of banks has been acquired and compensation to the tune of Rs 45 crores has been given to the farmers. The project would be completed in record time of three months. On completion 18 villages of Patiala and 26 Villages of Sangrur district would be benefitted, said Mr Sekhon.

INCREASE MSP AND ANNOUNCE BONUS ON PADDY OR FACE GHERAO-MAJITHIA

Chandigarh, October 15

Youth Akali Dal (YAD) Patron Mr. Bikram Singh Majithia today warned the Union Government to immediately announce increase in MSP of Paddy to Rs. 1000 per quintal retrospectively, announce Rs. 300 bonus coupled with lifting of ban on non- basmati rice to mitigate the sufferings of paddy farmers in the State or face gherao by the angry peasantry of the state. Inviting Punjab Congress leaders also to join the gherao, Mr. Majithia said that it was the duty of every Punjabi to rise about the party line to get the Punjab farmers their due, rather than do just lip service.

In statement issued here today Mr. Majithia said that UPA government was bent upon chopping 'the hand that feeds the entire nation' by not coming to the aid of Punjab farmers in distress and Youth Akali Dal would forced to gherao UPA Chairperson Smt. Sonia Gandhi to get the farmers of Punjab their rightful due. Mr. Majithia said that Punjab does not require photo ops road shows of Rahul Gandhi but want an expeditious decision by UPA on this burning problem.

YAD Patron stated that Punjab's farmers had always risen to the nation's challenge and put in their blood and sweat to produce record harvests this year to make country self sufficient on food front. "Instead of being grateful to the Punjabi Farmers for contributing over 30 lacs MT extra Wheat to the Central pool as against last year ensuring the nation's food security at a time when world was facing food shortages, the Union Government seemed to prosecuting them for their performance", Mr. Majithia said that. "

Mr. Majithia regretted State's farmers have not been given commensurate returns by the Union Government. Despite the demand for MSP of Rs. 1400/- in view of the rising input costs the Union Government even has not accepted the recommendation its own body CCAP of Rs. 1000 MSP for Paddy.

YAD Patron demanded that Union government should immediately enhanced MSP of paddy to Rs. 1000 per quintal besides a bonus of Rs. 300 per quintal. It should also lift ban on export of non-Basmati rice in view of the bumper paddy crop and adequate buffer food grains stocks. He also urged the Union Food Ministry to immediately raise the moisture content in paddy to 21% so that procurement agencies should not harass farmers.

Threatening a direct action by the cadre of YAD, Mr. Majithia said that the dillydallying tactics of UPA government on paddy procurement has exposed their anti Punjab face.