Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal would urge the Central Government to add Maize in the crop procurement list of National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. (NAFED) for enabling it to procure Maize from the state of Punjab.The decision to this effect was taken by Mr. Badal in a meeting with a high level team of NAFED that called on the Chief Minister here today at his residence. The team was led by Chairman National Cooperative Union of India (NSUI) Dr. Chandra Pal Singh and Chairman NAFED Mr. VR Patel.The Chief Minister said that the state government had identified Maize, Cotton, Oil seed crops, pulses and agro-forestry as alternative crops to break the rotation of wheat and paddy, making agriculture not only more sustainable but also environment friendly. He asked NAFED to provide a proper marketing solution especially for Maize and Oil seed crops.
Patel agreed to initiate the Maize procurement from Punjab immediately after getting the permission from the Centre. He said that NEFAD was an apex organisation established to promote Co-operative marketing of agricultural produce to benefit the farmers. He appreciated the all-out efforts of Mr. Badal for improving farm income through initiating state's flagship program of crop persification in the state to save ground water and soil health on one hand and ensuring assured marketing mechanism for enhancing profitability for the farmers on the other. He further urged Mr. Badal to take-up matter with Union Finance Minister for the early release of NAFED's pending payments of about Rs. 500 crore with the Central Government to bailout the NAFED from financial crisis. For which Mr. Badal categorically assured them that he would certainly take up the issue with the concerned Union Ministry.
On the occasion, the entire team of NAFED and NSUI honoured Mr. Badal for his pro farmer initiatives by presenting a Siropa.Prominent amongst those who were present on the occasion included, Vice Chairman NAFED Dr. Bijaender Singh, Director KRIBHCO Dr. Sunil Kumar Singh, and Principal Secretary to CM Mr. SK Sandhu, besides Mr. Tajinder Singh Midhukhera, Mr. Kulwinder Singh Bhaikhera and Mr. Kuldeep Singh Sandhu DGM KRIBHCO.