PATIALA, Aug 10: Punjab government is keen on improving the economic condition of the farmers, to achieve which, it has prepared a special plan for modernising farming techniques in the state.This was stated by Finance and Planning Minister Capt Kanwaljit Singh, while addressing a gathering of farmers at a special training camp in Dera Bassi, on Sunday. The minister stated that the government would train farmers in new techniques and may ask the farmers to restart cultivation of tomotoes and chilies so that they get more money for their produce.He said that if the farm experts could help the state government in the adoption of this new system and manage a high yield, the state government could think of setting up a reprocessing-cum-packaging plant at Lalru.He exhorted the farmers to come forward to adopt the system recomended by the agriculture experts. The minister stated that the yield of wheat and paddy had been going down with the passing of each year and the farmers should adopt alternate farming to offset the losses. He said that the farmers who preferred to adopt drip irrigation scheme would get power connections for the tubewells on priority.Others who also spoke on this occasion included Nirmal Singh, Chief Agriculture Officer, Patiala, Kulwant Singh Soner, Project Officer, Patiala, Jarnail Singh Hundal, Satpal Singh Cheema, J.S. Kanwar, H.S. Chahal and Balwinder Singh Sohal, etc.
