KHANNA: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal today said chief minister Bhagwant Mann was directly responsible for not securing relaxation in moisture content for farmers of Punjab due to which their wheat crop was not being procured.
The SAD president, who visited Asia’s largest grain market here, said “it is shocking that the chief minister only woke up from his slumber after both Haryana and Rajasthan secured relaxation in moisture content norms after applying for the same immediately”. He said the State government had only applied for relaxation in the norms recently due to which the farmers were suffering.
Mr Sukhbir Badal also castigated Bhagwant Mann for leaving farmers to their fate and choosing to holiday at a five star resort in Jaisalmer. “Now he is going abroad at a time when he should be visiting Mandis and ensuring the wheat crop is procured timely”.
Stating that Punjab farmers had been dealt a double whammy, Mr Badal said “first they suffered due to destruction of their crops due to rain and hailstorm. Now they are suffering because procurement agencies are not purchasing the wheat crop due to excess moisture”. He also talked to a farmer - Labh Singh in front of newsmen who said the government was doing a drama of procurement by purchasing two to three per cent of the total crop arriving at the Mandis.