Punjab-Advance-JULY-2020 Layout

Shaheed Udham Singh Martyrdom Day (July 31) 2 Punjab Advance July-2020 Editorial At a time when the nation is fighting the Corona virus, and the Punjab farmers have been sweating it out in the fields recording Asia’s largest and longest wheat procurement exercise and busy in direct sowing of rice to keep the nation fed, the Central Government has fired an anti-farmer salvo which may end the MSP regime. In one stroke the Modi government has passed three agri and marketing ordi - nances usurping Agriculture, which is a state subjectunder the Seventh Sched - ule. The ordinances are against the spirit of Cooperative Federalism enshrined in the Constitution. What was the emergency that forced the Central Government to enforce the new farm ordinances.It has been enforced at a time when the nation is in the middle of the Covid battle and a face-off with China, with economy in a state of shambles. Most of the farmers’ organisations, unions and, with the possible exception of BJP’s own BharatiyaKisanSangh, are against the the government’s three laws on agri-marketing. The Chief Minister, CaptAmarinder Singh, has been quick to reject the Central ordinances asking the Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi for an immediate re - view of the ordinances which he called anti-farmer and which would ruin the state’s economy. He saw it as a precursor to the elimination of the MSP regime. The Ordinances appear to be part of the process started in 2014, when the Shanta Kumar committee recommended dismantling of MSP and FCI, and reduc - tion of distribution of foodgrains under the PDS scheme. It is an effort to pro - mote corporate culture for the benefit of private business houses. The move could lead to exploitation of the farmers, who will be reduced to becoming labourers with the corporate houses becoming owners of agriculture without paying a penny for it. PPCC president Sunil Jakhar has dubbed the ordinances a conspiracy to ruin Punjab. The Chief Minister did not waste time. He summoned an all-party meeting and got all opposition parties under one roof. Barring the BJP all the parties saw it as an attempt to do away with the MSP.However one day after the meeting the Shi - romani Akali Dal tried to distance itself from the decisions taken at the all-party meeting. Unperturbed by the political slugfest, the farmer bodies have united against the anti-farmer ordinances and have decided to take to the streets for a long- drawn state-wide agitation until the anti-farmer laws are withdrawn. The ball is now in Modi’s court. July-2020 Punjab Advance 3 s t 16 21 New farm ordinance Switch over to direct Empower so n aims at ending MSP sowing of rice sa e t n o C 06 ‘Mission Fateh’ is Captain’s battle cry 4 Punjab Advance July-2020 24 32 38 ldiers to open fire, London road may be renamed Remembering 3 Punjabi ays CM after Sri Guru Nanak Devji gems of Bollywood Punjab www.punjabadvanceonline.com July - 2020 Advance LVOL›7 L ISSUE›7 Room No. 1, 5 th Floor, Punjab Civil Secretariat, Chandigarh-160001 Ph.: 0172-2740668, Email Id: [email protected] C.E.O. - Ravi Bhagat (IAS) Editor - Donald Banerjee Content Writer - Harleen Walia Designer - Karan Kumar Publisher - Information & Public Relations Department, Punjab Disclaimer: The views expressed by the authors in the articles published in PUNJAB AD - VANCE are their own. They do not necessarily reflect the opinion of Punjab Govern - ment or the organization they work for. Editor reserves the right to edit, abridge or expand the articles submitted. In case of any dispute, legal jurisdiction will lie in Chandi - garh based courts.Published and Edited by Ms. Anindita Mitra (IAS) on behalf of the In - formation and Public Relations Department, Punjab at Room No. 1, 5th Floor, Civil Sectt., Chandigarh July-2020 Punjab Advance 5 Cover Story ‘Mission Fateh’ is Captain’s battle cry v CM takes battle to every doorstep v Stricter curbs on weekends and holidays Donald Banerjee ission Fateh’, is Capt Amarinder Singh’s jiChief Minister has launched a month-long ‘M battle cry as he takes the state’s battle drive, as part of `Mission Fateh’, to spread mass against Covid to every doorstep. Yes, the Fau - awareness about the pandemic. 6 Punjab Advance July-2020 Cover Story The campaign, has broadened the ambit of Mission Fateh beyond the frontline workers, making it a people’s movement, bringing the PM asks states to people of Punjab into its fold and making it a battle of the people, by the people and for the emulate Punjab people. Appreciating Punjab’s Covid micro-con - In another first-of-its-kind initiative aimed at tainment and house-to-house surveillance checking the community spread of the killer strategy, the Prime Minister, Mr Narendra virus, the state has launched a mobile-based Modi, has asked all other states to adopt the app - ‘GharGharNigrani’, to undertake house model, which was helping Punjab in success - to house surveillance in the state in an fully controlling the spread of the pandemic ongoing process, till the elimination of the pan - to a significant extent. The Prime Minister intervened as the Chief demic. Minister Captain Amarinder Singh was de - Mission Fateh is a symbol of the resolve of scribing the state’s model to combat Covid the people of Punjab to check the spread of the and suggested that all states should follow deadly virus through discipline, cooperation the same strategic approach to effectively and compassion.The Chief Minister stressed counter Covid. the need for adherence to all safety protocols, The Prime Minister was conducting a cooperation with the state government Video Conference meeting with chief minis - through compliance with the lockdown restric - ters of Punjab and some other states, as part tions, and compassion towards the poor. It is a of his scheduled 2-day interactions to review true reflection of the Punjabi spirit that can the Covid situation and management strate - overcome all odds to emerge victorious, he gies of all the states. added. All the state government departments are working in unison to create a positive atmos - holders. phere in the state, enabling the people to push All citizens, except medical staff and essen - forward and make Mission Fateha success. tial service providers, would be required to Other focus areas include create awareness download e-passes from the COVA app, the on the importance of home quarantine, symp - Chief Minister directed at a Video Conference toms of flu and actions thereafter, restrictions meeting to review the pandemic situation and during Lockdown 5.0 and penalties/fines in the state’s preparedness to handle further case of violations, community mobilisation to spread. jointly fight against the pandemic. Industry, however, will be allowed to func - tion normally on all days, said the Chief Minis - Tighter curbs on weekends ter, while asking DGP Dinkar Gupta to ensure Amid apprehensions of community spread strict implementation of these directives to of Covidand projections indicating that the pan - prevent gathering of large crowds. demic peak in the state was still two months The Chief Minister said such tough measures away, the state government has clamped a were necessitated on account of the spiralling - stricter lockdown on weekends and public hol - Covid cases across the world. Stringent curbs idays, restricting movement to only to e-pass could help delay the peak for as long as possi - July-2020 Punjab Advance 7 Cover Story ble, he added, pointing out that with no early 22 on May 31 to 15 on June 10, showing a pro - vaccine or treatment in sight, strict protocols gressive decline day by day. Though signifi - was the only way to fight the pandemic. cantly longer than the national average, the Even as he warned of the pandemic wors - doubling period decline was a matter of anxi - ening in the coming days and weeks, the Chief ety, said the Chief Minister. Minister also asked medical and health experts Expressing concern over the large number to consider imposition of strict conditions, in - of people coming from outside the state, even cluding mandatory testing certification, for en - though the positive cases among them were trants from Delhi, where the situation had not many, the Chief Minister said there was no assumed alarming proportions. On an average, scope for complacency in the state’s battle 500-800 vehicles are coming to Punjab from against Covid. The state government’s efforts the national capital every day, the DGP in - would need to be scaled up further, particularly formed the meeting. in view of the Health Department’s projections A decision on stricter curbs on those coming suggesting that the peak of the pandemic had from Delhi will be taken after a review by the yet to hit Punjab, and it could happen towards experts, an official spokesperson said after the the end of August if the doubling period meeting. continues to come down as per the current Pointing out that many of those who had trend. come from outside had behaved irresponsibly Early diagnosis and increased testing was and had not reported to the health authorities, the key to tackling the crisis under Mission the Chief Minister said tough measures would Fateh, the Health Department officials said at have to be taken where needed, as the spike the meeting, underlining the need for doubling was still continuing and was expected to esca - of testing in the next one month and close late in the days ahead. monitoring of the densely populated areas.

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