Responding to the Captain Amarinder Singh’s meeting with the Prime Minister seeking a compensation of Rs 100 per quintal for Punjab’s farmers for management of farm waste, Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal has questioned the state government’s own efforts to curb the problem.

“Why has the government failed to incentivise farmers to prevent stubble burning. By this photo opportunity with the PM, the CM is trying to hide his government’s abysmal failure to give any compensation to the farmer as cost of managing paddy straw. The farmer is being fooled,” Sukhbir alleged.

Sukhbir said the chief minister should first give a report card of the utilisation of ₹385 crore received from the centre to manage paddy straw. “Isn’t it strange that Amarinder is asking the centre for more money to compensate farmers before disclosing that why has the state been unable to disburse a single paisa for the purpose?”

Sukhbir said the Punjab government should immediately release ₹3,000 per acre to all paddy growers to cover the cost of managing paddy straw. “Once you do this we will accompany you and seek more funds for the state’s farmers,” he added

First Published: Oct 18, 2018 22:07 IST