In view of deficient and erratic monsoon, the Punjab government has sought `800 crore interim relief package besides 1000 MW additional power allocation from the Central pool in lieu of extra money being spent by the state government on purchase of power for agriculture sector, besides additional cost of diesel borne by farmers for irrigation of paddy crop.
Deputy chief minister of Punjab Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal on Sunday informed that the Punjab government has approached Prime Minster Manmohan Singh, Union agriculture minister Sharad Pawar and Union power minister Sushilkumar Shinde to immediately come to the aide of Punjab farmers to enable them to fulfil their commitment to make the country secure over food. He said that 70 % deficient rains in the month of June and July was the cause of concern for the Punjab government as farmers of Punjab were contributing more than 50% paddy to the central pool and any failure of crop could have a bearing on the nation’s food security.
He said that Powercom, the power utility firm of the Punjab government, was making all efforts to procure power for agriculture sector even in the spot market at exorbitant rates, with a singular purpose of supplying sufficient power to the agriculture sector.