Former deputy chairman of planning commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia has submitted his report to the state government on Punjab’s policy of free power to agriculture sector.

Ahliwalia has termed the policy “highly regressive” as it benefits only big farmers. Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh had sought suggestions from the expert group, led by Ahluwalia, on ‘medium and long term post-COVID economic strategy for Punjab’.

Ahluwalia has also asked it to gradually reduce procurement of paddy from the extremely water-stressed areas, a suggestion which is expected to receive a sharp reaction from farmer community.

The expert group said Punjab needs to reduce the area under paddy by about 25 lakh acre (out of total 76 lakh acre under paddy) over the next 6-7 years.

Suggesting Punjab to adopt Haryana model, it said the latter is currently giving an incentive of Rs 7,000 per acre in overexploited blocks to diversify.

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