Accepting the claim of the opposition, Punjab Assembly Speaker Rana Muhammad Iqbal Khan has given a ruling in favour of sugarcane growers, saying not only the outstanding amounts but also the profit, according to the percentage, would be given to the farmers.
On Friday, Punjab Law Minister Rana Sanaullah announced in the house that the government was going to amend the Sugar Factories Control Act for the betterment of the sugarcane growers, while the sugarcane purchase monitoring committees would be established at district level across the province.
The speaker began discussion on the sugarcane growers’ problems on the demand of the opposition without taking any other government business.
Agriculture Minister Ahmad Ali Aulak informed the house that farmers of the province were facing different problems including the shortage of water, instruments, pesticides, fertilizer and salinity, adding that the government had given free hand to the agro-scientists for development in their field and to resolve these issues.
He claimed that the issue of food security in the province had been ended, as godowns were full with commodities.’
He said the fertiliser factories were facing gas shortfall, which would reduced around 0.175 million ton the financial year. He called for establishing a mechanism of fixing the price of the fertiliser and said the 16 percent General Sales Tax on the agriculture production and its instruments had also produced negative effects for the farmers.
PML-Q’s Ch Zaheer said the Punjab government was unable to control and monitor the prices of pesticides and fertilisers in the province.
He suggested that Punjab government should raise the issue with the inter-provincial coordination committee and also opposed the GST on agriculture sector. He said the government should force the mills owners to pay the outstanding amount within seven days and register cases against those who failed to follow the orders.
On the occasion, the speaker advised the opposition member that he should bring a bill related to his suggestions in the house for legislation on the farmers’ issues.
PPP-backed opposition member Maj (r) Abdul-ur-Rehman and treasury member Kazim Ali Pirzada also joined the discussion.
Law Minister Rana Sanaullah told the house that the amount worth Rs 131 billion had been paid to the growers from the sugar mills and there were only two sugar mills who had not paid due amounts, which had been sealed after registering cases against the responsible.
Earlier, In-charge Minister to Communication and Works Nadeem Kamran answered the questions of the treasury and the opposition members during one hour-long question hour. Answering a question, the minister informed the house that the Gujranwala-Hafizabad Road had been completed, but some of the treasury members rejected the claim.
During the session, the law minister returned the National Identity Card of the opposition member in the house as per commitment. The card was taken by a police officer from Rifat Sultana Dar over the traffic violation some days ago. Later, the speaker adjourned the session till Monday at 3 pm.
