Congress harps on benefits from FDI in retail For Punjab's sagging agrarian economy, here is some good news. The meek voices of the farmers, agri economists and farmer unions seem to have been heard by at least two of the main political parties in the state which are now promising to ensure 50 per cent profit over cost of production to the farmers. Both the BJP, which released its election manifesto today, and the Aam Aadmi Party that released its manifesto last week have assured the farming community that they would implement the Swaminathan committee recommendations. The Congress manifesto, on the other hand, harps on the benefits that farmers in agrarian states like Punjab can get through foreign direct investment in retail. They assure farmers that this will transform the agrarian economy as it will create a beneficial value chain from farm to fork, set up sorting and grading houses and bring more investment in infrastructure for food processing and cash crop storage. The national commission on farmers, headed by Prof MS Swaminathan, had recommended in 2006 that the government should ensure a minimum 50 per cent profit over the cost of production to the farmers while calculating the minimum support price (MSP). With farm distress taking a toll in this region, especially in Sangrur, Mansa and Bathinda districts, due to rising cost of farm inputs and low MSP, ensuring a minimum profit margin to farmers had been a long standing demand of the farming community. Over the years, the prices of diesel, fertilisers and farm labour have increased sharply while the hike in MSP announced by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) has remained minimal. Little wonder that the contribution of agriculture to the Punjab's gross state domestic product has been falling sharply and is 18 per cent at present. With Punjab's major demand finding an echo in the election manifesto of two main parties, there is a ray of hope for the state. Ajmer Singh Lakhowal, chairman, Punjab Mandi Board, feels that there is new hope that farmers will start getting their dues. "I was a member of the 17-member committee set up by the Congress in 2007 for implementing the Swaminathan report. But the committee just had three meetings and the recommendations could not be implemented," he said. Balbir Singh Rajewal, president, Bhartiya Kisan Union, too, welcomed the development. "But how will the CACP calculate the cost of farm inputs? Because CACP's terms of reference that cost of living, general price level, industrial cost structure, and demand and supply will have to be taken into account before fixing the MSP. So when the parties decide to implement the Swaminathan report recommendations, these terms of reference have to be changed so that the farmers get justice," he said. Wooing the farming community In their manifestos, both parties have assured the farming community that they would implement the Swaminathan committee recommendations The commission had recommended that the government should fix MSP so as to ensure a minimum 50 per cent profit With farm distress taking a toll in this region, ensuring a minimum profit margin has been a long standing demand of the farmers The contribution of agriculture to the Punjab's gross state domestic product has been falling sharply and is 18 per cent at present Capt corners CM. Jaitley on manifesto Capt Amarinder Singh Amritsar: Former Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh has asked Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to clarify his stand on three contentious issues in the BJP's election manifesto, which was released in Delhi on Monday. In a statement here, Amarinder said: "People of Punjab would like to know from Badal his stand on Uniform Civil Code, abrogation of the Article 370 and construction of a temple at the disputed site in Ayodhya as announced by the BJP in its election manifesto. He said: "BJP leader Arun Jaitley should specify whether he will advocate these issues in Punjab also". Amarinder said Badal had "always been advocating a separate personal law for Sikhs, strongly opposed to any move to abrogate Article 370 as he advocates greater autonomy for the states and has not been in favour of constructing a temple at the disputed site". The former Chief Minister alleged the fake facade of development the BJP was trying to project over communalism had started wearing off. He hoped that Jaitley, who is so fond of discussing and debating the national issues would spell out his stand vis-a-vis these three important issues which have a crucial bearing on Punjab as well.