AGRICULTURE

Farmers hail India’s stand at WTO summit
Tribune News Service

Ludhiana, September 16
The Bharti Kisan Union has hailed the firm stand taken by India and other G-22 nations on the issue of rolling back subsidies given to farmers by developed nations at the WTO summit in Cancun.

Mr M.S. Qadian, secretary-general of the party, said the tough line adopted by the government was the outcome of the persistent pressure put by various kisan outfits of the country. “We have been urging the government to resist the move by developed nations to push through their agenda, which would have sounded the death knell for the farming community of Third World countries,” he added.

He pointed out that one of the reasons why farmers of developed nations could sell their produce at half the price vis-a-vis developing nations was the huge subsidy given by governments of developed nations. “If developed nations roll back the subsidies, our farmers can also sell their produce in the international market,” he said.

Quoting figures, he said developed nations were providing more than $ 1 billion worth of subsidies everyday. This was why they could sell their produce at half the rates and still be progressive, he said. This was in sharp contrast to farmers of the developing world who were finding agriculture an unviable proposition, what to talk of exporting his produce.

Mr Qadian said developed nations led by the USA would not sit idle till their agenda was implemented. He stated that there was a need to be vigilant and keep resisting all such moves which could spell doom for more than 70 per cent of the world’s farmers.

Plan to increase hyola cultivation
Amarjit Thind
Tribune News Service

Gurreh, September 16
Following the successful cultivation of hyola gobhi sarson in the state under the contract-farming scheme, the Punjab Agro Foodgrains Corporation will now cover 35,000 acres under this crop in the coming rabi season.

A team of officials handed over oilseed packets to many farmers in this area today. The corporation had initiated contract farming of hyola gobhi sarson in Punjab on 10,000 acres during the last rabi season. Hyola (PAC-401) is a canola- type hybrid rapeseed mustard developed and introduced for cultivation in India by Advanta India Ltd, a Holland-based multinational company. Even Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, has approved it.

Mr Vivek Sharma and Mr Sanjay Dhar from Advanta India Ltd today handed over seed packets to Mr Sarabjit Singh, Mr Inderjit Singh and others of the village, thus, marking the beginning for the rabi season.

A farmer, Mr Sarbjit Singh, said he had already brought 50 acres under sunflower cultivation during the last season under the contract-farming programme and had now cultivated 7 acres under maize and 20 acres under basmati crop. He has diversified about 15 per cent of his total landholding of more than 200 acres to different crops under the contract-farming programme. Now he is planning to cultivate hyola and durum wheat during this season.

Mr N.K. Sharma, Senior Manager of the corporation, said the corporation had been declared a nodal agency by NAFED to procure hyola and pulses in Punjab from contracted growers.

He said farmers’ camps would be organised this month to encourage the farmers to opt contract farming. The seeds of the crop are already available for further sale to the farmers and the price of the seed is the same as was during the last year. Hyola has the potential of giving higher returns than wheat and that too at a much lesser cost of cultivation and conservation of valuable natural resources. Hyola-based cropping i.e. hyola-moong-maize can give more returns than the paddy-wheat monoculture, he pointed out.

Hyola has a yield potential of 12 quintals per acre if sown in October and its seeds have 2 to 3 per cent higher oil content than the Indian varieties of rapeseed mustard.

Low participation mars campaign
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 16
Low participation of teachers marred the workshop on Inclusive Education for the Disabled, a project launched under the Sarb Sikhya Abhiyan (SSA), held at the Government Inservice Training Centre here today.

Thirty-eight teachers from 19 blocks of the district were invited to attend the workshop for upper primary classes, but just seven teachers turned up to take the guidelines for the campaign. The teachers were to act as resource persons for identifying the physically and mentally challenged children in the age group of six to 14 years in their blocks, who were either drop-outs or had never gone to school due to their physical handicap.

The campaign aims at bringing such children to the schools started under the Elementary Guaranteed Scheme (EGS) and then to the normal government schools in their vicinity.

The participating teachers were given guidelines on utilising the funds to the tune of Rs 5,000 per student for helping them buy various aids including glasses, artificial limbs or hearing aids. The teachers were also told regarding the filling of forms for such students and presenting their case before the state government.

Mr Pardeep Kapoor, lecturer, Inservice Training Centre and coordinator of the project, said there were chances that the teachers were not informed about the workshop by the Block Primary Education Office (BPEOs). He said the DEOs of secondary and elementary wings would order probe at their own levels.

However, in case of lower primary classes, 30 teachers attended the workshop. The expected number was 38. During the workshop, teachers put forth various problems being faced by them. They said many of the blocks were without EGS schools. They said even later, when such children would be sent to government schools of their blocks, it would be difficult for the single-teacher schools to manage more kids and those, too, with disabilities. They said the department must ensure that sufficient staff was appointed in schools to take care of the special children before they are actually sent there.

Mr Rajinder Sharma, a member of project committee, said efforts were being made to open new EGS schools in some localities. He said more teachers would be appointed in schools that were understaffed.

Students attend lecture

Ludhiana, September 16
Major-General S.S. Sharma, Director, Snow Avalanche Studies and Establishment (SASE), Manali, delivered a lecture to the students of the Punjab College of Technical Education (PCTE) here today.

The lecture was organised by Punjab Technical University. Dr K.N.S. Kang, director of the college, highlighted the importance of hard work, determination and discipline. Dr S.K. Salwan, Senior Adviser, PTU, was also present. OC

Non-payment of dues resented
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 16
Sore over the non-payment of dues, representatives of 12 colleges run under the Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC) held a meeting under the chairmanship of Prof S.S. Hundal, president of the Punjab and Chandigarh College Teachers’ Union, here today.

Prof Amarinder Pal Singh, convener, SGPC-run colleges, said 55 per cent DA approved by the DPI (Colleges) was not being paid to them. Even the provident fund on the pay revision amount for the period from January 1, 1996, to December 31, 1998, was not being deposited in the accounts of the employees, he said. He also pointed out that the salaries of the employees had not been paid for the past three to four years. The employees also alleged that no annual increment was being given to them. 

Man acquitted of murder charge
Our Correspondent

Ludhiana, September 16
Mr A.S.Kathuria, fast-track court Judge, has acquitted Amandeep Singh, alias Assa Singh, of the charge of murdering a constable, Sarabjit Singh, as the prime prosecution witnesses turned hostile, including the complainant, constable Ravinder Singh.

However, convinced by the arguments advanced by the District Attorney, Mr A.A.Pathak, the court found the accused guilty of possessing an unlicensed Mauser. He was sentenced to undergo five years’ imprisonment under Section 25 of the Arms Act. A fine of Rs 1,000 was also imposed on the accused.