Consensus reached in farmers' meeting with CM, protest ended - CM said - will get good news

Farmers protest: Farmers protesting on the National Highway in Jalandhar demanding increase in the price of sugarcane ended their agitation on Friday after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann assured them that they would be given good news in the coming days. . The meeting that lasted for more than 90 minutes in Chandigarh between farmer union leaders and the Chief Minister was positive and after this the farmers decided to end the protest.

Traffic affected between Jalandhar and Delhi

Farmers had blocked the Jalandhar National Highway four days ago. They had intensified their agitation by blocking the railway track on Thursday, but as soon as the Punjab government announced the meeting, they lifted the blockade. The farmers were protesting in the middle of the Jalandhar-Phagwara stretch of the highway and this affected the traffic between Jalandhar and Delhi. While talking to journalists, both CM Mann and union leaders said that the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere.

"New announcements will be made in a day or two"

However, Mann did not say what would be the new price recommended by the government for sugarcane. He said, “As far as increasing the prices of sugarcane is concerned, Punjab has always been ahead.” “In the coming days, sugarcane farmers will get good news regarding prices and compensation for losses suffered due to floods earlier this year,” Mann said. Mann also said that a meeting will be held on Saturday with other stakeholders, including sugar mill owners. “A solution has been found, new announcements will be made in a day or two,” the chief minister said.

Demand to resume operations of sugar mills

Under the leadership of Bharti Kisan Union (Doaba), farmers were demanding increase in sugarcane prices from Rs 380 per quintal to Rs 450 per quintal. They were also demanding resumption of operation of sugar mills for crushing sugarcane. BKU (Doaba) leader Manjeet Rai was among the farmer union leaders who attended the meeting. “The Chief Minister has assured the best rate of sugarcane,” he told reporters. Rai said that Mann also said that all the mills would be operational by November 30, the meeting was held in a cordial atmosphere.

What will be the increased price of sugarcane?

He said that after the assurance of the Chief Minister, the farmers will now end their protest. Responding to a question, BKU (Doaba) leader Manjeet Rai said that the Chief Minister has indicated that the increased rate of sugarcane will be around Rs 400 per quintal. "We have said it should be more than Rs 400," he said. Neighboring state Haryana had earlier this month announced an increase in sugarcane price by Rs 14 to Rs 386 per quintal from Rs 372 per quintal. Rai indicated that the increased price of sugarcane would be higher than that of Haryana.