Chandigarh, Mar 1 (PTI) Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Saturday dared Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to pass the state's draft agricultural policy, which recommended the reduction of paddy area in over-exploited blocks and also an alternative marketing system.

Training his guns on the AAP government, Jakhar said the Mann dispensation was quick to reject the Centre's draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing but has not taken any call on implementing the state agricultural policy framed by the Punjab State Farmers' and Farm Workers' Commission.

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The Punjab Assembly, on February 25, passed a resolution against the Centre's draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing, asserting it is an attempt to bring back the three farm laws repealed by the Centre in 2021.

Addressing the media at his residence in Panchkula, Jakhar spoke about the state's draft agricultural policy, mentioning that the option for completely banning paddy in a few blocks should be considered.

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He said that out of 150 blocks, 60 are over-exploited. He said the state's draft agricultural policy recommended a reduction in the area under paddy in over-exploited blocks (blocks with stages of groundwater extraction more than 300 per cent, 250-300 per cent and 200-250 per cent).

Jakhar said if the Centre's draft of the National Policy Framework on Agricultural Marketing is bad, then what stops the AAP government from implementing its own state agricultural policy.

He said the state's agricultural policy stressed an alternative marketing system while highlighting the potential exploitation of farmers by commission agents, high interest rates on credit, spurious farm inputs, high commission charges and a lack of transparency in pricing mechanisms and transactions that have often led to farmers getting lower returns for their produce.

To eliminate the stronghold of commission agents and other inefficiencies of agricultural markets, the state needs an alternative marketing system, said Jakhar while reading out the contents of the draft policy.

Jakhar said, on the other hand, the Centre's draft policy also spoke about the rationalisation of market fees and commission charges.

"I challenge Bhagwant Mann to call the assembly session to pass this state agricultural policy," said Jakhar.

He asked the AAP government to consult the farmers.

Jakhar said the state government gives a power subsidy (free electricity to the farm sector) to the tune of Rs 8,280 crore. He said there are 13.91 lakh tube wells in the state, and the per tube well subsidy works out at Rs 60,000.

Considering the paddy area of 32.31 lakh hectares, a power subsidy of Rs 10,000 per acre is being given.

"On one side, we are complaining about depleting water level and on the other hand, we are giving Rs 10,000 subsidy for drawing water," said Jakhar.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)