Badal authorised to decide SGPC presidential candidate

Chandigarh, Nov 23 (UNI) The Political Affairs Committee (PAC) of Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) today authorised party president Parkash Singh Badal to announce the nominees for the annual election of the president and other office bearers of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee (SGPC), scheduled on November 25 in Amritsar.

The PAC meet, presided over by Mr Badal, also passed a resolution rejecting the ''meager'' hike of Rs 17 per quintal in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of sugarcane by the Punjab government.

The meeting described the hike as a cruel joke with the farmers of Punjab. It resolved that this price was even lower than that in Haryana. It demanded that the MSP for cane be hiked to Rs 160 per quintal in interest of the farmers.

In another decision, the SAD shifted the venue of December eight rally from Moga to Ajitwal town, situated at a distance of 18 km from Moga on Moga-Jagraon highway. This was done due to the shortage of space in Moga, a spokesman of SAD here said.

The PAC meeting also expressed concern over the extensive damage caused to the fodder, wheat and cotton crops in Bathinda and Mansa districts due to hailstorm. The meeting demanded that a special Girdawri should be conducted to assess the total loss suffered by the farmers and demanded adequate compensation for all affected farmers.

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