Punjab agrarain crisis is a national problem: Sharad Pawar

New Delhi, May 22 (UNI) Concerned over unabated farmers suicide in Punjab, which he hailed as ''granary of India'', Union Food and Agriculture Minster Sharad Pawar today assured the Lok Sabha that the agrarian crisis in the state would be treated as a ''national problem''.

Replying to the debate on ''suicide by farmers in various parts of the country'', Mr Pawar assured that the UPA government would extend all possible help to the state government.

Mr Pawar, concluding his 70-minute speech, emphasised the need for ''correcting the imbalances'' that had arisen in Punjab agriculture- because of the depletion of ground water by one metre every year and soil erosion.

''We have to look into this problem on a priority level, we have to do something about it urgently'' failing which he said there would be a serious situation.

He, however, expressed satisfaction that the states of West Bengal, Orissa and Bihar were now becoming self-sufficient in production of wheat and paddy. ''Now these states do not have to depend on Punjab and Haryana.'' Stating that UP alone needed as much as 12 million tonnes of foodgrains per annum, he said it was not proper to further put pressure on Punjab agriculture. ''We should not go in for decentralisation.'' The Minister claimed that the procurement situation had improved in the second phase of purchase of paddy.

On the MPs suggestion that domestic farmers be paid ''remunerative prices'' and not to import wheat from foreign countries, he claimed the move was necessitated to keep the buffer stock to meet any eventuality.

''This is all the more important to protect the interests of the consumer. As Food Minister, this is also my responsibility to protect the interests of the consumer also,'' he said.

Later, CPI( M) Floor leader Basudeb Achariya and Laxman Singh (BJP) charged the government with failing to arrest the rise in prices of essential commodities.

''The Government must take immediate steps to arrest the trend so as to avoid additional burden on the poor and the middle classes,'' they said.

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