Several farmer bodies on Tuesday, 2 August, called off their proposed agitation on 3 August, after Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann accepted most of their demands, including clearing the pending payments of sugarcane farmers.
A four-hour-long meeting with farmer leaders was held by Mann, and it was led by Bharatiya Kisan Union (Sidhupur) president Jagjit Singh Dallewal in Chandigarh on Tuesday evening.
Farmers had earlier announced that they would block national highways at three places, in Majha, Malwa, and Doaba regions of Punjab, on 3 August, in case the state government failed to address their issues, including that of non-payment of sugarcane dues.
After the meeting, CM Mann said, "I am committed to farmers' welfare, and during my tenure they won't have to stage protests for their genuine demands," news agency PTI reported.
He informed that sugarcane dues stand at Rs 195.60 crore, out of which Rs 100 crore will be paid by 15 August and the remaining Rs 95.60 crore will be cleared by 7 September.
He added, "We have decided to cancel the FIRs registered against farmers for stubble burning and agitation."
Mann also said that the pending payment of government and cooperative sugar mills will be cleared by 7 September and that private sugar mills, except Phagwara sugar mill, have assured that they will pay arrears by the same date.
The Phagwara sugar mill owed Rs 72 crore to farmers and a sum of Rs 20 crore would be realised after auctioning its land.
Furthermore, he announced a compensation of Rs 5 lakh each to be given by 5 August to the families of those farmers who had died during the farm law protests.
Meanwhile, BKU Sidhupur president Jagjit Singh Dallewal announced the decision to call off the protest and said that the farmers group would next meet on 7 September.
(With inputs from PTI.)
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