Punjab News: Badal demands wheat bonus

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal urged the Centre to announce a bonus of Rs 100 per quintal of wheat to compensate the farmers who have incurred losses due to ban on the export of the commodity.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he said that the need to sustain and increase domestic food grain production levels and boost farmers' morale could never be over-emphasised as their International prices were unlikely to cool down in next few years.

If the Union Government responded positively would get "an equally vigorous and enthusiastic response from the farmers of Punjab, who would ensure enhanced food grain production to offset the volatility of the international market and to preserve the nation's food and nutrition security," Badal said.

Surpassing the target of 80 lakh MT that the Union Food and Agriculture Minister had set for the state, a record 105 lakh MT wheat has been procured in the State, till date, he added.

Punjab farmers have lost almost Rs 4800 crore, the differential of 100 lakh MT in the buoyant international market, he added.

"The international price of wheat was about Rs 15000 per MT against the procurement price of Rs 10,000 per MT," Badal said quoting Government of India data.

He said the state requires capital of 3200 crore, in which Rs 1700 crore are needed for remodelling the existing canal network and Rs 950 crore for lining of Sirhind Feeder and Rajasthan Canal and for other anti-water-logging operations.

Likewise, a sum of Rs 3500 crore is required for upgradation of the power system, he added.

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