Give ₹10k /acre relief to farmers, says BKU

CHANDIGARH: Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU, Ugrahan) on Thursday demanded that the Punjab government pay a compensation of Rs 10,000 per acre to farmers who opt for DSR (direct seeded rice) method of paddy cultivation during the upcoming rabi season.

As per a schedule announced by the state government, paddy sowing by DSR method will begin from May 20 and is expected to continue till May 31. For paddy sowing by transplant method, the state has been divided into four zones – to ensure that the power demand does not surge abruptly -- and the process will be carried out in a staggered manner from June 18 to June 24.

‘Farmers not taken into confidence’

“Farmers and farm bodies were not taken into confidence before adopting the new system,” said Joginder Singh Ugrahan who heads BKU Ugrahan, the farm body having the highest number of members from agrarian community in the state.

“Also the compensation of Rs 1,500 per acre offered to farmers adopting DSR method is too less, it should be increased to Rs 10,000 per acre,” he said.

He asked the government to organise a meeting with farm body leaders so as to find an amicable solution.

‘MSP for maize, other crops’

He further said the government was not serious about crop diversification as there was no promise of minimum support price (MSP) on maize and other crops that break the wheatpaddy cycle.

He also sought MSP on crop as per the Swaminathan formula.