Firozpur, Feb 13 : Farmers in Punjab deny that they are facing economic crisis due to shortfall in production of agricultural crops.
Debunking a 'Punjabi Durbar' broadcast, suggesting that farmers are indebted and take recourse to suicide, farmers living along India-Pakistan border of the state say that they are prosperous and their prosperity can be judged by merely witnessing the number of tube-wells, tractors in farms and their living standards.
Ignoring the fact that Punjab is known as the granary of India, Pakistan Radio’s 'Punjabi Durbar' programme continues to broadcast the view that Sikh farmers are facing a plethora of hardships.
"I am associated with agriculture for last 14 to 15 years. The government brings new schemes at regular intervals," said Sukhwant Singh, a farmer.
He further said that if there is any natural calamity the government couldn’t be blamed for that.
"Because of American sundi (a pest attack), farmers lost their produce, but we were compensated for the loss," Sukhwant Singh added.
It is absurd that despite of the fact that farmers in Pakistan were facing difficulties, Pakistan Radio is poking its nose and spreading rumours about India, he said.
Ravinder Singh, another farmer, said that Pakistan uses the radio to propagate falsehoods because "we farmers generally use this medium to entertain ourselves."
He went on to say that keeping aside the venom being spewed by Pakistan Radio he still feels sorry state of farmers across the border in that country and wishes they overcome all shortcomings.
The broadcast that is aired from Lahore for listeners in Indian Punjab seeks to mislead people, with little success.
Since Independence, Punjab has earned the epithet: "Granary of India".
With liberalization of India's economy, Punjab has started making its mark on the global business firmament, with major players from around the world forming joint ventures in the agri-business field.
The dynamic people of Punjab, a land of rivers with fertile soil have been able to exploit every opportunity into achieving a success story. The state was the first to translate agricultural technology for achieving the "Green Revolution", by recording the highest growth rate in food production.
The state has emerged as a major rice surplus entity. Besides it has achieved "White Revolution", by recording the highest per capita availability of milk.
The Punjabi Durbar programme has been steadily losing its credibility. (ANI)