G S Kalkat heads Committee on Punjab State Agriculture Policy

Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal today approved the constitution of ten-member committee to formulate a long-term State Agriculture Policy. The Committee would be headed by the Chairman of the Punjab State Farmers’ Commission G S Kalkat. Financial Commissioner Development G S Sandhu, Vice Chancellor Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana B S Dhillon, Director National Centre for Agricultural Economics and Policy Research, New Delhi, Ramesh Chand, Director Indian Institute of Horticultural Research Bangaluru A S Sidhu, among others, would be its members. Managing Director, Milkfed and Member Secretary Punjab State Farmers Commission, B S Sidhu, would be its Member Secretary. The Committee would submit its report within three months, an official spokesman said here today. He further said that it was the need of the hour to evolve a long term State Agriculture Policy to overcome the stagnation in the agriculture sector, besides improving the economic lot of rural masses by making agriculture profession remunerative and economically viable. Agriculture is the backbone of Punjab economy since it provided direct or indirect employment to about 50 per cent of the state’s population and contributes around 28 per cent towards Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP), he said.
Agriculture based on Rice-Wheat cropping system has slowly turned into an unrewarding activity due to unfavorable price regime and lack of value addition. The situation is likely to be further exacerbated due to increase in production of rice and wheat in other parts of the country and integration of agricultural trade with global markets.