Center not ready to save Punjab from rice wheat rotation: Badal

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said the Centre was not serious about its intentions to save Punjab from the rice-wheat rotation,which was leading to large-scale depletion of groundwater and polluting the environment of the state.

Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal said the Centre was not serious about its intentions to save Punjab from the rice-wheat rotation,which was leading to large-scale depletion of groundwater and polluting the environment of the state.

Stating this,the CM,who held Sangat Darshan programmes in Kotkapura area on Monday,said: Farmers of Punjab are contributing 60 per cent of the foodgrains to the national pool. But instead of rewarding its farmers,the Centre is doing little to help Punjab come out of its agrarian crises. The Centre should announce MSP for other crops too so that the farmers can grow alternate crops too.

Patting his own government,Badal said: The year 2011-2012 will be a historical year for the economy of the state. While we are easy on income now,the year will see a quantum leap in infrastructure,health,power and education projects.

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Badal extended help to Home Guard jawan Manjit Singh,who was badly injured in a road accident six years ago but was yet to fully recover despite treatment. His wife Gurmeet Kaur said the family had spent all its savings on Singhs treatment. He was brought to the Sangat Darshan in an ambulance and the CM gave him a patient hearing. Later,he asked the civil surgeon to prepare a case and send it through the DC so that medical aide could be provided to him.

Badal distributed Rs 5 crore to 55 area panchayats and Rs 96 lakh for common development tasks.

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