Chandigarh: Punjab's farming sector has expressed disappointment over the Union Budget for not taking "pro-farmers" decision to provide much-needed fillip to the state's agriculture which has been suffering with "high" input cost and "lower" output prices.
Even the farm experts have also expressed displeasure with the budget for not announcing any financial assistance to Punjab to promote crop diversification as state's wheat-paddy production has reached saturation point, besides taking a toll on natural resources.
"We were expecting the announcement of implementation of Swaminathan Commission report which has recommended 50 per cent profit over and above the input cost to farmers. But the budget remained silent on this issue. We are feeling dejected as our demands were not addressed," Bhartiya Kisan Union (Mann) President BS Mann said on Sunday.
"Low prices have been the major issue with the farming community as it has turned into a loss-making occupation for farmers over the years. Swaminathan Commission report is the only solution at hand to solve the problems of farmers," he said.
Farm experts expressed surprise over no announcement with regard to fiscal assistance in the budget as demanded by the Punjab government for crop diversification. "As far as crop diversification is concerned, this budget has not offered anything to the state," an economist RS Ghuman said.
Punjab government has been demanding implementation of Swaminathan Commission report and financial assistance for crop diversification to the state. With depleting underground water table and water logging being the major issue in Punjab, the Union budget has not tried to address these matters, said Ghuman.
The proposed creation of Unified National Agriculture Market also came under attack with experts and farmers not finding "meaningful" for small and marginal farmers. "National Agriculture Market may be good for progressive farmers but it is not going to help small and marginal farmers as they will find it difficult for transporting their produce from one state to other state for sale," said Ghuman.
Farmers described the formation of National Agriculture Market as an "anti-farmer" move, accusing the Centre of depriving farmers the minimum support price of their crops. "We feel that Centre wants to abolish the current pricing regime which is MSP by setting up a national agriculture market. Once it is set up, we are sure farmers will not get even minimum prices for their crop," BKU (Rajewal) President Balbir Singh Rajewal said. Union Budget had a mention about creation of National agriculture market for increasing income of farmers.
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