PM Narendra Modi keeps mum on drugs

As for the land bill, he said: “Around 80 per cent of the farmer’s children in this country go into the Army and I have to think about their future too. This is, however, complete propaganda of the Opposition and there is no question of taking farmers’ land without their consent”.

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Earlier in the event, Punjab CM urged the Centre to facilitate better trade along the Wagah border. “The Centre should consider increasing the number of items for trade at the Wagah border at par with the Mumbai-Karachi sea route. Hussainiwala and Ferozepur borders should be reopened for trade, and farmers having their fields on the other side of the fence should be given special help,” Badal said.

State BJP chief Kamal Sharma also spoke about the farmers in borders areas. “Pakistan has now started a new war called narco-terrorism and drugs are free flowing in Punjab from across the border,” he said.

Tells farmers to use water judiciously

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said Punjab’s farmers need to realise that natural resources are fast depleting and hence should use them judiciously. Addressing a rally here, Modi pointed out that the state’s water table was falling, adding that farmers here use 57 times more than the amount of nitrogen required and 13 times the ideal phosphorous usage.

“The farmers of this state are great and I salute them for feeding this nation. But we cannot ignore that the water table is falling below permissible limits. I appeal to Punjab’s farmers to come out of the old mentality that if fields are not flooded, they are not irrigated,” he said.

He also referred to the soil health in the state. “It hurts me to see that despite being so productive and competitive, farmers of Punjab don’t make optimum use of technology and fertilisers are being overused,” Modi said.

Offers prayers at Golden Temple

Amritsar: Amidst unprecedented security arrangements, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday paid obeisance at Golden Temple. Modi, who is observing fast due to the ongoing Navratra festival, partook the karah parsad offered to him. Citing that he was on fast, he did not consume other items offered to him. The PM spent about 35 minutes in the temple complex. He was gifted a gold-plated model of the Golden Temple, a special set of books on Sikh Gurus, a book on turban and a shawl and siropa (robe of honour). He was accompanied by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Governor Kaptan Singh Solanki. ENS