Even under adverse conditions, Punjab farmers have produced bumper crop Farmers of the state epitomise the true Punjabi spirit. Producing bumper crop year after year and surpassing national average have become a habit for Punjab, right from the days of Green Revolution. Punjab alone produces nearly 20 per cent of the entire country's wheat. The spirit and the hard work put in by the Punjab farmers have firmed up country's food security even under adverse conditions of inclement weather, militancy, diseases, pest attacks or drought.

The Department of Botanical and Environmental Sciences of Guru Nanak Dev University organised a workshop on

The Punjab government has released over Rs 2,000 crore to farmers of the state for wheat procured up to last week. Chief Minister said his government had fulfilled its commitment of ensuring payment within 48 hours and of lifting of their wheat immediately on arrival in mandis. The Punjab government has announced that it has set aside Rs 11,000 crore for total procurement season to ensure hassle-free payment to the farmers. Out of this, Rs 8,000 crore has been placed at the disposal of the Food and Supply Department for the month of April alone.

Punjab farmers are reaping the benefits of bumper crop this year. Wheat procurement in Ropar and Kharar has exceeded the figure achieved last season. In Ropar, the procurement is 66 per cent more than the last season, while in Kharar the figure stands at 117 per cent. In the Ropar market, the state and central agencies have procured 33,001 tonnes of wheat in the first 21 days of its arrival, while this figure was 19,786 tonnes last season. Morinda has registered 11,225 tonnes followed by Anandpur Sahib at 4,319 tonnes, Ropar at 4,124 tonnes and Chamkaur Sahib at 1,333 tonnes.

Despite bad weather that damaged rabi crops last week, farmers in Punjab are all set to have a bumper wheat crop this year. There is all possibility that the state may set a new record as far as per hectare yield of wheat is concerned. The average yield per hectare is certain to go up this year. Farmers say that per acre yield this year varies between 20 and 22 quintals, whereas last year it was 17 and 19 quintals. Even the quality of the wheat grains is better this year compared to previous years.

UPA's move may come three years late

AGRICULTURE, food and civil supplies minister Sharad Pawar on Wednesday frustrated attempts by the Congress Left-combine to put the blame for the current bout of inflation on opposition-ruled states.

The Chandigarh Administration will underwrite 50 per cent of the cost of the Metro Rail Project (Common Mobility Plan) and Detailed Project Report (DPR) while the proportion for Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh would be 20, 20 and 10 per cent respectively. The division of the entire cost was prepared during a joint meeting chaired by UT Adviser Pradip Mehra, Haryana Chief Secretary Dharam Vir, Punjab Chief Secretary Ramesh Inder Singh and Himachal Pradesh Principal Secretary (Transport) Ashok Thakur, held last week.

More women are dying from cancer than men in Punjab. This is contrary to the global trend where more men die from cancer than women.