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Describing the restrictions imposed by the central government on the export of basmati as an anti-Punjab and anti-farmer move, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann has demanded an immediate withdrawal of this arbitrary decision from the Centre.
Addressing a large number of farmers who arrived at the fair on the last day of the two-day Kisan Mela at the Punjab Agricultural University here today, the Chief Minister said with sadness that this absurd decision of the central government will cause great economic loss to the farmers as well as the traders. He said that the Center has fixed the minimum export price of Basmati rice at USD 1200 per tonne, which will adversely affect the domestic prices of Basmati rice.
The Chief Minister said that the hardworking farmers are already in crisis due to rising farm costs and low prices. Bhagwant Singh Mann said that the highest production of basmati in the country is in Punjab and this decision of the central government will severely affect the interests of our farmers. The Chief Minister said that the Punjab government is making great efforts to promote moong, basmati and other alternative crops under crop diversification in the state, but on the other hand, such policies of the center have hampered our campaign.
The Chief Minister said that this step of the central government is anti-farmer and anti-Punjab, which will be strongly opposed by the state government. He said that the Punjab government is also considering selling basmati rice to states like West Bengal and Kerala in view of central restrictions.
Bhagwant Singh Mann said, “It is a sad thing that restrictions are being imposed on the farmers of Punjab, who are filling the food reserves of the country, which cannot be tolerated at any cost.”
Referring to another anti-Punjab decision of the central government, the Chief Minister said that the central government has withheld funds of Rs. 3622 crore from the rural development fund of the state. He said that the previous governments of the state had misused this fund, the consequences of which are now being borne by the people of the rural areas. He said that if the central government RDF If this fund is released, 67,000 km of link roads and other infrastructure in the rural areas of the state will be rehabilitated.
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