Include small, marginal farmers in MNREGA: SAD to Centre

CHANDIGARH: Ruling SAD on Monday demanded that the Centre should recast the MNREGA scheme to help small and marginal farmers by providing them monetary aid to work in their own fields.

Small and marginal farmers, who are the worst sufferers of the anti-farmer policies of the Centre, should be covered under MNREGA scheme, SAD secretary and spokesman Daljit Singh Cheema said participating in the budget discussion in Punjab Assembly.

The financial assistance will vastly helpful the poor farmers, he said.

He also urged the Centre to adopt a pro-farmer approach while formulating farm policies and promote agro-based industries in the state.

The SAD leader demanded complete restructuring of the agricultural cost and price process by linking MSP to market forces or accepting Dr Swaminathan formula of giving 50 per cent profit over and above the investment incurred by farmers.