Bittu questions Tota Singh’s absence

Bittu also questioned that why Punjab agriculture minister Tota Singh was absent from this national-level ICAR annual meet where all state agriculture ministers highlighted the problems of their states in front of union agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh. Talking to The Indian Express, Bittu said, “Various states including Rajasthan and Himachal Pradesh blamed Punjab for polluting waters and soil due to overuse of pesticides and chemicals in fields. Except myself, there was none to represent Punjab at the meeting and I would like to question that why agriculture minister Tota Singh was missing from such an important annual meeting. It is true that at Punjab was once the food bowl of India but all states blamed us for polluting waters and soil at ICAR meeting.”

He said that PAU V-C Dr B S Dhillon who also attended the meeting held discussions on various issues of agriculture in Punjab. “I requested Dr O P Yadav, who is director of maize research to get work of center of excellence started in Ludhiana at the earliest but they told that Punjab government has yet not handed over the land for the purpose. It is best known to Punjab government that why 200 acres of PAU land earmarked for the center has not been allotted to the ICAR,” he said.

The matters related to crop diversification including research works on Bt Cotton, maize and depleting groundwater in Punjab were also highlighted at ICAR meeting.

“PAU V-C told us that although the budget of PAU has increased from Rs 185 crore to Rs 300 crore in past years, still there is shortage of funds and scientists. I raised the issued in front of union agriculture minister during the meeting,” said Bittu.