News Analysis India

Tag: AAP government

  • Amid power shortage, Punjab farmers announce protest against AAP govt 

    Express News Service

    CHANDIGARH: The farmers and the AAP Government in Punjab are heading for a confrontation as the government has called upon the farmers to go for staggered paddy transplantation and adopt the Direct Seeding of Rice (DSR) technique to avoid worsening of the power crisis.

    The call has not gone well with the farming community as it had rejected the electricity supply schedule for the upcoming paddy sowing season issued by the state government and had asserted that they would start transplanting paddy from June 10. 

    The government has decided to stagger paddy transplantation into four phases starting June 18 by, for the first time, dividing the state into four zones, in an effort to reduce the use of power during the peak season.

    A few days back the meeting between the farmers’ unions and Punjab Power Minister Harbhajan Singh and Punjab State Power Corporation Limited Chairman-cum-Managing Director Baldev Singh Sra failed to break the deadlock on the issue.

    The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has announced an indefinite ‘Delhi model’ agitation (The large-scale agitation against the three farm laws) against the state government in Chandigarh from May 17.

    A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of twenty-three farmers’ unions held in Ludhiana a few days ago. 

    Senior SKM  leader and General Secretary of BKU (Lakhowal) Harinder Singh Lakhowal said they had met the chief minister Bhagwant Mann on April 17 in the meeting the government assured them a bonus of Rs 500 per quintal on wheat, MSP on maize and basmati but till date, nothing has been done. We have given one month’s time to the government to fulfill our demands and but the government failed to do so. Hence, we will start an indefinite agitation in Chandigarh. A tractor-trailer march will be held to commence agitation,said Lakhowal

    Terming the government’s move as a one-sided decision, Bharti Kisan Union (Ekta Ugrahan) president Joginder Singh Ugrahan said that the state government needed to call a meeting with the farmers before announcing dates for paddy transplantation.

    ALSO READ | Farmers protest near residence of Punjab Power Minister Harbhajan Singh over electricity shortage

    The state government, for the first time, has decided to stagger the paddy transplantation into four phases starting from June 18. In an effort towards reducing the use of power during the peak season, the state has been divided into four zones.

    BKU (Ekta Ugrahan) general secretary Sukhdev Singh Kokrikalan said that it was wrong to blame only the farmers for the falling underground water levels. The government must remember that before Green Revolution, paddy was never the crop of the state. The government aid of Rs 1,500 for direct seed plantation of paddy was not enough. The government needs to give at least Rs 10,000 per acre to cover farmers’ risks. 

    “The government has still not given a guarantee on the MSP of alternative crops, including maize, moong dal and basmati rice,’’ he said.

  • AAP govt completely failed in controlling pollution, indulging in blame game: Punjab minister

    By PTI

    NEW DELHI: Punjab Industry and Commerce Minister Gurkirat Singh Monday slammed the Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government in Delhi, saying it is indulging in a blame game as it has “completely failed” to control pollution in the national capital.

    Singh, who was the chief guest at the Punjab Day Function held during the India International Trade Fair 2021 at Pragati Maidan, also urged the Centre to reopen the Kartarpur Corridor, which has been closed since March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

    “The AAP government led by Arvind Kejriwal has completely failed to control pollution in Delhi and is instead indulging in a blame game,” he said.

    Talking about the industrial growth in Punjab, he said the state government has taken several path-breaking steps for promoting ease of doing business and ensuring stable growth of the industrial sector in Punjab.

    ​ALSO READ | Centre’s claim of farm fires contributing only 10 per cent of Delhi pollution doesn’t make sense: Gopal Rai

    He claimed the Congress-led Punjab government has brought investment of over Rs 1 lakh crore in the state which not only given the much needed boost to the economy but also generated employment.

    He said the new industrial policy with detailed schemes and operational guidelines was implemented with the sole motive of making the state the top destination for investors and business in the country.

    He took a round of the Punjab Pavillion which has been designed and decorated in consonance with the theme of IITF 2021 i.e. ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat- Self Reliant India’.

    The theme area of Punjab Pavillion has been designed showcasing the growth of industry with the world class facilities provided by the Punjab Government.

    A cultural evening on the occasion was also organised.

  • Stop bickering, cooperate to save lives, Supreme Court tells AAP

    Express News Service
    NEW DELHI:  In view of the concerns that Delhi may not have been allocated enough oxygen to battle the Covid-19 crisis that is unfolding in the national capital, the Supreme Court on Friday urged the Centre to do whatever can be done to save lives. The court also asked the AAP government to adopt a cooperative attitude in getting essential medicines and oxygen supply to patients.

    “Please adopt a cooperative attitude at the time of a human crisis. A spirit of dialogue. Politics is during elections and not at the present situation,” a bench led by Justice DY Chandrachud told the Delhi government counsel. While highlighting the importance of Delhi, the bench said: “Delhi represents the nation and there is hardly any ethnically Delhite. You have to push through since you have to save lives Mr Solicitor. You have a special responsibility as the Centre,” he remarked.

    Appearing for the Centre, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta informed the Court that Delhi was given 490 MT of oxygen, although it has now demanded 700 MT. Justice Chandrachud pointed out that there is a 123% increase in demand for oxygen when it comes to Delhi. “Delhi shows the demand had increased where there was 123 percent increase and revised need was 700 MT and then you say you allocated 490 MT? … If there is a 200 MT deficit then you should give that straight away to Delhi.

    Centre has an important responsibility as far as citizens of Delhi is concerned. You have said surplus is there in the steel sector. Then use that and supply to Delhi. Between today and Monday there will be 500 deaths in our hands,” Justice Chandrachud observed.  Mehta pointed out that the Centre has to walk a tight rope when it comes to allocating resources between States. At this, the bench said. “As a national authority which has a responsibility to the national capital you are answerable to the citizens.”

    “We have told the Centre how it has a special responsibility towards Delhi…but we need to send a message to the highest levels of your government that in this humanitarian crisis we don’t want lives to be lost in political bickering,” the Bench told senior advocate Rahul Mehra who represented the Delhi government.