DW BUREAU / Libra/ Samrala (Ludhiana)

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday interacted with a group of villagers under shades of a tree and sought their inputs for carving out a 'Rangla Punjab' (vibrant Punjab) and also apprised them about key initiatives of his government.

There were no sofas or the formalities of government protocol in otherwise usual meetings of the state government while villagers spoke freely with Mann and gave their views to him.

Mann spoke with them on political, social and other issues of the state.

The CM said at the time he assumed office, only 21 per cent of canal water was being used for irrigation but now that has risen to 63 per cent. Due to the concerted efforts of the state government for the first time, canal and river waters have reached the tail ends of villages.

Mann informed farmers that in order to avoid complications in selling their paddy harvest due to high moisture content in October, the state government advanced the paddy cultivation season from June 1.

For this, he said that zone wise cultivation of the paddy crop has been ensured in the state along with necessary planning and arrangements, said Mann.

As the state government advanced the paddy transplantation dates, he had urged the Union government to prepone the paddy procurement by 15 days.

Mann said that he had called the Union Food Minister and urged that now the procurement of paddy must start from September 15 so that the framers of the state can sell their in a smooth and hassle free manner. He said this will enable the farmers to bring moisture free grains in the Mandis thereby ensuring their smooth procurement.

On the drug menace issue, he said the drug mafia was allegedly patronized by previous governments but his government launched a crusade against narcotics.

Meticulous planning has been done to wipe out the menace of drugs from the state and now war against drugs has begun in a full-fledged manner, said Mann.

Apart from snapping supply lines of drugs, the state government has put big fish involved in this crime behind bars, he said, adding that now the property of the drug peddlers is being seized and destroyed. Mann said the state government has fulfilled almost all the guarantees promised to people, adding that even those guarantees which were not made have also been given to people.

Regarding the water issue, he said unfortunately, water had depleted in 117 out 153 blocks, which went into black dark zone. The previous governments never bothered about making any effort to save the groundwater and the farmers at the tail ends, on this land of five rivers, never got water, he said. After assuming charge, the AAP government has revived 15,947 water courses in the state due to which water has reached at the tail ends even in remotest villages. Likewise, he said his government has provided free power to households from the month of July after which 90 percent of them are getting free power. Expressing concern over big fat weddings in the state, Mann said they are putting a huge burden on the pockets of the common farmers.

Batting for simple weddings, the CM said it is the need of the hour so that farmers can be pulled out of the vicious circle of debt. Lavish weddings should be avoided as they put the farmers of the state under huge debt, adding that the farmers should come out of the mad race of competing with each other on spending money lavishly.

Meanwhile, farmers were surprised over Mann's visit in their fields and said in the last 70 years, they have for the first time witnessed when the head of the state was amongst them to discuss key issues.

Villagers said it is for the first time in the history of the state that any Chief Minister came to them, sat in their fields on a cot and interacted with them on various issues pertaining to the state.

They also thanked the CM for ensuring canal waters to their fields.

(editor@dailyworld.in)