Punjab Govt. To Work Out Pension Scheme For Farmers
Badal For Timely Settlement Of Partition Of Joint Properties On Campaign Basis
5 Dariya News
Chandigarh 16-May-2012
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today asked the Chief Secretary to work out a viable proposal to introduce a pension scheme for the farmers across the state to instill a sense of security amongst them and enable them to lead a quality life with dignity in the evening of their life. Presiding over a meeting of the high powered delegation of Bharti Kisan Union led by its President Balbir Singh Rajewal here at CMO this morning, Badal said that scheme could be on the lines of the National Pension Scheme in which a fixed amount could be paid by the farmers and an equal amount contributed by the state government for paying monthly pension to them at some fixed retirement age of 60 or 65 years to be mutually agreed upon. Responding to another demand of the union regarding the timely settlement of partition of joint properties, Badal informed them that he had already directed the Financial Commissioner Revenue to further instruct all the deputy commissioners in the state to ensure amicable settlement of such cases on the basis of a vigorous campaign at the earliest. Badal gave a target that atleast 50% of the joint land holdings be partitioned within a period of one year and also asked the revenue department to ensure that routine cases of mutation henceforth, except contested ones to be disposed off within 15 days from the date of registration of sale deed.The Chief Minister also asked both the Chief Engineers Drainage and Canals to ensure the cleaning of canals, distributaries, drains with in a stipulated time frame. Badal also directed the Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to take effective remedial steps to check the unhealthy practice of flowing industrial effluents and untreated chemicals and wastes into the canals and drains especially in Ludhiana and Nawanshehar area He also asked the Principal Secretary Environment, Science & Technology to constitute joint teams comprising representatives of the BKU and official of PPCB to conduct raids on the industrial units which were grossly violating the pollution norms.Referring to another issue raised by the BKU regarding the payment of the outstanding arrears to the cane growers by the cooperative and the private sugar mills, Badal asked the Financial Commissioner Development to immediately settle the issue amicably with the cane growers and the concerned owners of the private sugar mills and the management of the cooperative mill The Chief Minister also asked the Secretary Mandi Board to set up a state-of-the-art timber market at Hoshiarpur to enable the farmers of the Doaba region to ensure marketing facilities for the sale and purchase of the timber. He also asked the FCD to finalize modalities for setting up an ultra-modern fish market at Ludhiana to boost the prospects of fish marketing in the state. To another issue to do a way the system of PAN as demanded by the banks for transaction of Rs.50000 or above, Badal said that the farmers could make use of Form 60 in lieu of PAN as the state government could not directly intervene in the matter because the issue broadly falls within the ambit of Income Tax Act which was under the jurisdiction of the GoI. Regarding the payment of balance amount of Rs.150 crore to the farmers on account of drought relief in 2010, Badal assured the delegation that the said payment would be disbursed to the farmers in due course immediately on receipt of funds from GoI on the recommendations of the 13th Finance Commission. Referring to another issue related to the payment of productivity bonus to the farmers in lieu of electricity bills of tubewels, Badal said that Rs.94.31 crore had already been disbursed to the concerned beneficiaries and the remaining Rs.2.58 crore would be released shortly.On the issue of processing of fruits and vegetables, Badal asked the Financial Commissioner Development to make optimum utilization of the kinnow juicing plants in Abohar and Hoshiarpur through leasing them out to a private player to ensure remunerative price to the kinnow grower He also asked the Punjab Agro to explore the possibility of setting up a tomato paste plant in and around Ludhiana to enable the farmers to get handsome price of their produce besides opening a perishable cargo terminal at Aitsar to facilitate the veggie & fruit growers to export their produce. Prominent amongst who attended the meeting included the Chief Secretary Rakesh Singh, Financial Commissioner Development GS Sandhu, Financial Commissioner Revenue NS Kang, Financial Commissioner Animal Husbandry Jagpal Singh Sandhu, Principal Secretary to Chief Minister SK Sandhu, Principal Secretary Cooperation Viswajit Khanna, Principal Secretary Environment, Science & Technology Karan Avtar Singh, Secretary Mandi Board Mohinder Singh Kainth, Secretary Home Sameer Kumar, Registrar Cooperative Societies Kirandeep Singh Bhullar, MD Sugarfed MP Arora, Commissioner NRI Affairs Ramesh K Ganta and Director Horticulture LS Brar. Members of BKU delegation comprising General Secretary Onkar Singh, Parminder Singh Chalaki both General Secretaries, Nek Singh Senior Vice President and Treasure Gulzar Singh Ghanaur were also present in the meeting.