Badal seeks Centre’s help for farm, industrial sectors

Ludhiana : Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today sought the Centre’s intervention in improving the agriculture and industrial sectors in the state.
During a programme at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) to honour MSME entrepreneurs, Badal urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to constitute an expert group on farming as agriculture, the mainstay of the economy of Punjab, had reached a plateau. He also sought the Centre’s help in assuring a level playing field for industry in the state. However, Modi’s address that followed the CM’s speech was silent on the latter’s ‘demands’.
Addressing the gathering, Badal said Punjab’s economy had been badly affected on account of several factors, like Partition, decades of militancy, liberal concessions to neighbouring states and discriminatory freight equalisation policy. He said the border districts of Punjab were worst-affected due to the hostile neighbour.
The CM said it was a high time for the Union government to address this issue on a priority by ensuring a level playing field for hard-working and innovative industrialists of the state. Badal said with the squeezed margins of profit in the agriculture sector, the industry was the only viable solution for development of the state and prosperity of its people.
Taking an opportunity to highlight the plight of current agrarian scenario, the Chief Minister impressed upon Modi to constitute an expert group to make agriculture more rewarding. He said with the farmers facing an acute crisis and even committing suicide, the Centre was duty-bound to bail out the “food growers of the nation” from the crisis.
Complimenting Modi for launching surgical strikes on terror pads in PoK, the Chief Minister said this unique and bold initiative had rejuvenated the spirit of patriotism and nationalism among the people of the country. He urged the Prime Minister to spare some time from his busy schedule to lay the foundation stone of prestigious AIIMS at Bathinda, which would prove to be a milestone in the healthcare facilities in the state. Acceding to the request of the CM, Modi consented to lay the foundation stone of AIIMS whenever the state government extended an invitation to him.