Punjab farmers ended their protest on Wednesday after the AAP-led state government accepted several of their demands. The development came after representatives of farmer bodies held a marathon meeting with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann.
Conceding the farmers' demands, Mann announced a fresh schedule for staggered sowing of paddy on June 14 and June 17, thus restricting the total number of zones to just two instead of four.
Mann also told the farmer leaders that the state government has already issued a notification to procure the entire moong (green gram) crop at a minimum support price of Rs 7,275 per quintal.
Punjab Rural Development Minister Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal shared the details of the meeting with the agitating farmers at the protest site in Mohali.
Later, Bharti Kisan Union (Sidhupur) state president Jagjit Singh Dallewal announced the decision to lift the protest.
Scores of Punjab farmers began a protest near the Chandigarh-Mohali border on Tuesday after they were stopped from heading to the state capital to press their various demands, including a bonus on wheat and beginning paddy sowing from June 10.
What the protesting farmers wanted:
#Farmers wanted a Rs 500 bonus on each quintal of wheat as its yield has dropped and shrivelled because of unprecedented heatwave conditions.
#Farmers were also against the Punjab government's decision to allow paddy sowing in a staggered manner from June 18 to lessen the electricity burden and conserve underground water.
#The protesters wanted the government to allow them to sow paddy from June 10.
#The protesters also wanted a notification issued for the minimum support price for maize, moong and basmati.
#The farmers were also demanding the government to lower the charges on the extension of electricity load from Rs 4,800 to Rs 1,200, 10-12 hours of power supply and release of outstanding sugarcane payments.
#They were also against the installation of smart electricity meters.
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