Chandigarh, August 26: A Punjab Congress leaders delegation today urged Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to announce a bonus of Rs 200 per quintal on paddy.
This was necessary as farmers of the state had to resort
to diesel pumps to water their fields in lieu of acute power shortage in the state, due to which input cost had increased, they told the minister.
The delegation, led by Leader of Opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, called on Mr Pawar at New Delhi today, and requested him to take up the case of Punjab farmers for supply of cheap power to the state, especially for agriculture sector, with the Union Power Minister.
Taking up the case of 8,000 employees of FCI who were running from pillar to post for their regularization, the Congress leaders urged upon the Union Agriculture Minister to regularize their services as Punjab and Haryana High Court in a landmark decision had already directed F.C.I. to do the needful. They also requested the Union Minister not to approach the Supreme Court in this case for relief in public interest.
Meanwhile, Mrs Bhattal urged the Punjab Government to announce bonus of Rs 200 per quintal on paddy from its own coffers. She said that rice millers of border districts of the state, who were given relaxation on VAT for the year 2005-06, had not been given any refund so for and the needful should be done at the earliest.
—Agencies