Penalising farmers is no solution: Suresh

CHANDIGARH:BATTING for the state’s farmers, chief principal secretary to Punjab chief minister, Suresh Kumar, on Wednesday, said governments needed to address their (farmers’) concerns before it took action on issues like stubble burning.

“Penalising and arresting farmers without addressing their concerns at the ground-level is not something that a democratically-elected government should be encouraging,” he said in his keynote address during a dialogue on the ‘Stubble Burning Conundrum’ in the city on Wednesday.

“There is a need for a variety of viable choices to be made available to the farmer,” he said, adding that some of the schemes that the government had initiated included in situ (in the original position) management of stubble.

He added, “The Punjab government has sought ₹100 per quintal bonus for farmers to encourage them not to burn stubble. We need more research to understand the extent of the problem.”

“Punjab’s farmers have provided food for the country in the hour of the need. It is time that the country takes note of it and pays a price for their well-being,” he added.

Devinder Sharma, an agriculture trade and policy expert, said, “The debate in the country on stubble burning needs to shift from its rising levels to addressing the real reasons. We need to study the reasons for farmers committing suicide. Until this aspect is addressed, the stubble burning issue will continue to grab headlines.”

Bharatiya Kisan Union president Balbir Singh Rajewal said, “Farmers are becoming soft targets .”

He said subsidies being offered, 50% forl farmers and 80% for cooperative societies, for machinery was no longer supporting the farmer, as the rates of the equipment had increased.

CHIEF PRINCIPAL SECY TO CHIEF MINISTER BATS FOR FARMERS