Chandigarh, Jan 29 (IANS): Perceiving the Agriculture Price Commission's latest recommendation to the Centre to review the MSP policy as a serious threat to state's farmers, Punjab Congress MPs on Wednesday asked Chief Minister Amarinder Singh to approach the Prime Minister and urge him not to consider any such review.
At a meeting convened by the Chief Minister here to discuss budget proposals for the next fiscal and various issues pending with the Centre, MPs belonging to both Houses of Parliament decided that the Chief Minister press upon the Prime Minister the dangers of accepting the Agriculture Price Commission's recommendation.
Any change in the MSP procurement policy will adversely impact Punjab's economy, they felt, expressing the fear the Centre would limit procurement as the first step towards putting an end to MSP purchase.
Briefing the MPs on the status of the Sutlej Yamuna Link (SYL) canal case, the Chief Minister asked the MPs to push for amendment to Proviso of Section 12 of the Inter-State River Water Disputes (Amendment) Bill 2019, to protect state's water resources.
It was decided at the meeting that officials would be deputed by the state to coordinate with and brief the MPs on issues concerning Punjab.
This was essential to ensure more effective interventions in matters relating the state, said a spokesperson after the meeting.
During the discussion on MSP and procurement, the meeting referred to a note by the Punjab Ministry of Distribution relating to evacuation of Central pool food grains from the Food and Public Consumer Affairs to underline the problems currently faced by the state in terms of tardy and slow procurement of wheat and rice by central agencies.
A presentation by the department showed that 140 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of wheat and 95 LMT of rice belonging to the Central pool are currently stored in the state and the wheat is lying in the open.
It was decided the MPs would press the Centre for immediate evacuation of the Central pool food grains from the state in view of the threat to the quality of stored wheat due to heavy rains and floods in parts of Punjab.
The state will also continue to pursue through the MPs, the matter of promotion of maize as an alternative crop to paddy, it was decided at the meeting.
Among the other key issues of Punjab's interest pending with the Centre, that came up for discussion during the meeting, were state's demand for compensation of Rs 100 per quintal to farmers for zero burning of paddy residue, reduction of tax rate for dairy cooperatives, and exemption of dairy products from free trade negotiations.
The meeting expressed concern over the pending issue of settlement of food cash credit account of Punjab, to the tune of Rs 31,000 crore, and it was decided that the MPs would aggressively pursue the matter with the Central government.
The Chief Minister pointed out that the cash-crunched state was suffering immensely due to the delay in settlement of this amount.
The MPs were also asked by the Chief Minister to press for declaration of eco-sensitive zone around Sukhna Wildlife Sanctuary in Chandigarh for the areas falling in Punjab.
The issues of establishment of PGI Satellite Centre at Ferozepur and establishment of a second AIIMS in the state were also discussed in detail.
The meeting was attended by Lok Sabha MPs, Amar Singh, Jasbir Singh Gill, Chaudhary Santokh Singh, Preneet Kaur, Manish Tewari, Gurjeet Singh Aujla and Mohd Sadiq and Rajya Sabha MPs, Shamsher Singh Dullo and Pratap Singh Bajwa.