Chandigarh, December 19: Finding that the Punjab Kisan Vikas Chamber (PKVC), Mohali, had totally failed in its objective of ensuring farmer welfare, the Punjab Cabinet on Thursday gave the nod to hand over the possession of two acres of its land and office in Mohali to the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
The move is aimed at enabling optimal utilization of the property, which had been provided free of cost to PKVC, for the welfare of farmers.
Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that the office of Punjab State Farmers & Farm Labourers Commission and Agriculture Marketing Innovation Research & Intelligence Centre (AMIRIC), which are focused on farmers’ issues and aimed at supporting farmers, will now be established in the building. Other institutions, including PKVC, will be allowed to conduct seminars for the welfare of the farmers in the premises.
The spokesperson further said that the Cabinet had also observed that the amount that remains pending from the Rs.25 crore granted to the Chamber would also need to be taken back from it.
Notably, the Council of Ministers, in its meeting on February 25, 2016, had cleared the way for the establishment of PKVC as a Society, and the two acres of land was allotted free of cost in Mohali by Greater Mohali Area Development Authority (GMADA) to it, with the actual value of the land i.e. Rs.8.47 crore adjusted from CLU charges of its Scheme and License Fees. Additionally, Punjab government had granted Rs.10 crore vide letter dated May 18, 2016 and Rs.15 crore vide letter dated November 9, 2016. The Society built the office at an estimated amount of Rs.21.93 crore and the balance amount of approximately Rs.3 crore still lies with it.
It may be noted that the state government, vide letters dated September 25, 2019, October 7, 2019 and October 22, 2019, had sought a report from the Secretary General as to what steps had been taken by the Chamber to improve the economic conditions of the farmers, and how much success it got in this regard, in the three years since PKVC was established. Subsequently, a report was submitted by PKVC on November 7, 2019, after scrutinising the report, it was found that the chamber did not make any worthwhile efforts to improve the economic conditions of the farmers nor had the farmers benefitted in any way.
