Our Correspondent Ludhiana, September 10 The Bharti Kisan Union, Lakhowal, (BKU) has served an ultimatum to the state government to withdraw the cut imposed on subsidy to be granted to farmers for purchase of machinery and implements for stubble management, failing which the farmers would be forced to burn the stubble. Addressing the state committee meeting here today the BKU general secretary Harinder Singh Lakhowal said it was unfortunate that the state government had imposed a ceiling on subsidy for machinery and implements for stubble management. “From 80 per cent subsidy on machinery worth Rs 10 lakh, the upper limit has now been slashed down to Rs 4.61 lakh which has made required machinery and implements beyond the reach of farmers,” he said. The meeting demanded in one voice to grant 90 percent subsidy on entire machinery and equipment (for stubble management) and in addition a compensation of Rs 3000 per acre for other expenses in this regard if the government really wanted that farmers should not burn stubble which added to environmental pollution. Lakhowal said the farmers attending the meeting reiterated the demand for allowing cultivation of poppy which would save the youth from menace of synthetic drugs and also turn out to be a cash crop for the farmers. The BKU also reminded the government about its poll promise of remission of all agricultural loans. It further called upon the government to grant compensation for crop losses caused by floods at Rs 40,000 per acre, free seed and fertilizer to flood-affected farmers and compensation of Rs 30,000 per cattle head for loss of cattle in flood-hit areas. Other demands raised at the meeting were immediate payment of sugar cane arrears, bringing power tariff for domestic use at par with other states of Rs 5 per unit as promised by the Congress party during its poll campaign, effective steps to deal with stray cattle menace, eight hours uninterrupted power supply for agriculture, remunerative prices of farm produce, securing river waters of Punjab and providing employment opportunities to rural youth.

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