BJP president Nitin Nabin, during his three-day visit to Punjab that began on Saturday, will make a personal visit to decorated agriculture economist SS Johl at the latter's residence in Gurdev Nagar, Ludhiana. The meeting, scheduled for Monday, marks a significant step in the ruling BJP's engagement with the persistent agrarian crisis in Punjab.
Johl's expertise and past reports
Johl, a Padma Bhushan awardee, is a passionate advocate for economic diversification of crops in Punjab. He has long argued for moving wheat and paddy cultivation patterns out of the state. Johl has produced two key reports—in 1996 and 2002—on ways to end Punjab's agrarian stress. He has also been keen on providing solutions to the government on this challenge.
According to sources, Nabin will discuss with Johl the way forward for agricultural and economic revival in the state. Johl has consistently argued that the government should procure crops other than wheat and paddy at minimum support price (MSP), including maize, cotton, pulses, and oil seeds, and compensate farmers to encourage diversification.
First high-level engagement
This will be the first high-level government engagement with Johl on the issue. Johl is a former National Professor of Agricultural Economics of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, former vice-chancellor of Punjabi University Patiala and Punjab Agricultural University Ludhiana. He has also chaired the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices in the past. The BJP believes Johl can bring concrete solutions to the table to solve the vexed issue of farm distress in the border state.
