Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann to raise issues of legal guarantee to MSP, farm debt at NITI Aayog meeting

Speaking to reporters in Chandigarh on August 6, Bhagwant Mann slammed his predecessors Charanjit Singh Channi and Amarinder Singh for not attending such meetings earlier.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said he will raise several issues, including a legal guarantee to the minimum support price (MSP) for crops and farm debt, at the NITI Aayog governing council meeting in Delhi on August 7.

Speaking to reporters in Chandigarh on August 6, Mr. Mann slammed his predecessors Charanjit Singh Channi and Amarinder Singh for not attending such meetings earlier.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will chair the seventh governing council meeting of the NITI Aayog, the government's apex policy think tank. "I am going to attend the NITI Aayog meeting. I have done my homework on Punjab issues which will be put forth during the meeting,” Mr. Mann said.

He said it was after three years any representative from Punjab was going to attend the NITI Aayog meeting.

"I will raise issues of water, debt of farmers, legal guarantee to MSP, canal system, cleaning of 'buddha nallah' [in Ludhiana], BBMB [Bhakra Beas Management Board] and also health-related matters,” Mr. Mann said.

The Chief Minister said he would also try to meet Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia in Delhi and raise the issue of direct international flights from Amritsar and Mohali airports to London, Chicago, San Francisco and Vancouver.