Jakhar slams govt over agri summit
Friday, 21/02/2014
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2014/20140221/punjab.htm#23
Abohar:Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Sunil Jakhar has contested the Punjab Government’s claim of the Agriculture Summit’s success. “The Punjab Government has neither been able to convert 40 agreements announced in 2008 to promote agro-based industries nor took initiative to ensure remunerative marketing avenues to kinnow growers,” he said today.
The CLP leader said former Cooperation Minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh had, in 2009, laid the foundation stone for power generation units in five sugar mills, but none had been made functional so far.
Jakhar alleged that the Agriculture Department was the mother of corruption in the state. “How can Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal hope to benefit farmers without eliminating corruption?” he asked.
Jakhar urged Badal to allow debate over problems being faced by farmers. “The state government has not been able to utilise the funds earmarked by the Centre for diversification,” he added.
