Punjab Congress hails hike in paddy bonus

Chandigarh, Nov 16 (UNI) Punjab Congress has welcomed the announcement of the Union government to provide additional incentive of Rs 50 per quintal for paddy for the Kharif Marketing Season 2007-08, over and above the already announced bonus of Rs 50 per quintal.

Punjab Pradesh Congress President and Leader of Opposition Rajinder Kaur Bhattal, in a statement here today said that it was a positive and appropriate decision in interest of farmers of the country, especially Punjab.

She expressed her gratitude to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi for hiking the bonus on paddy.

She said that hard working Punjab farmers deserved to be complimented as with only 4.48 per cent of total rice area of the country, they produce about 10 per cent of total rice, since productivity in Punjab is about 3858 kg per hectare in comparison with national average of 2103 kg per hectare.

UNI