Several Punjab farmers and farmer bodies have accused the Bhagwant Mann government of adopting a confrontational approach to the central government’s E20 petrol policy without proper consultations with the stakeholders.
Key Statements
The farmers maintained that the debate on the E20 policy should be centred on the consequences it is going to have on the agrarian economy of Punjab. The impact of the E20 policy on crop demand, procurement and prices needs to be assessed properly, and measures need to be undertaken before a farmer bears the burden of such changes in the policy. As per the Kisan Vidhan Sabha, the Punjab government should take up the matter regarding the farmers with the Centre and secure guarantees that the change in policy will not affect agricultural income. The farmers demanded an advance compensation mechanism for the farmers if any change in demand or procurement affects the farmer community. Moreover, the Kisan Vidhan Sabha demanded more attention from the government towards crop diversification. The farmers maintained that Punjab can’t move away from paddy cultivation until the farmers are assured of the markets and remunerative prices of other crops like maize and sugarcane. The farmers claimed that the matter of crop diversification cannot be achieved only by making declarations but procurement guarantees as well. However, the farmers’ criticism of the Punjab government did not end here. The farmers demanded an institutional mechanism for consultations between the government and stakeholders regarding the agricultural policies of Punjab. The farmers maintained that any policy which is going to affect the Punjab economy has to be taken after consultations with the farmer organisations.
