Punjab demands Rs. 500 per quintal bonus on wheat

Punjab has demanded Rs. 500 per quintal bonus on wheat.

Raising the demand, state Agriculture Minister Tota Singh on Monday said this was necessary to compensate the farmers who were facing loss of production due to bad weather.

It may be mentioned that the state government leaders had also demanded bonus on wheat when they met Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at Bathinda on Saturday. Punjab is expecting more than 167 lakh metric tonnes of wheat production during the current season,

He said the minimum support price of farm produce should be linked to the price index.

He also demanded special package for Punjab as the farmers were reeling under a debt of about Rs. 35,000 crore.