Agro-economist Dr. Sukhpal Singh is Punjab Farmers’ Panel Chief

The government of Punjab on Thursday (1 September 2022) appointed renowned agro-economist Dr Sukhpal Singh as the chairman of Punjab State Farmers Commission. Dr. Sukhpal is among 9 people including AAP leaders, who have been selected as chairpersons of different boards. Bhagwant Mann, Chief Minister of Punjab announced the appointments on his Twitter handle.

Dr. Sukhpal, who is the principal economist and former head Department of Economics and Sociology at Punjab Agricultural University, has worked on farmers’ suicides and farm laws. 

After the appointment, Dr. Sukhpal said that the Punjab Agricultural Policy will be his main priority because earlier drafts were made twice, in 2012 and 2017, but the policy was never framed.

Ajay Vir Jakhar, the previous chairman, resigned on 20 September 2021, after Captain Amarinder Singh was dethroned. Dr. Sukhpal has extensive experience in agricultural issues along with degree in economics, and post-graduate research at the International Centre for Development Oriented Research in Agriculture (ICRA), Wageningen, Netherlands.

Dr. Sukhpal who is from Baplana village in Mansa has made several studies about phasing out marginal farmers from agriculture and turning them into laborers. He has also written two research books in addition to 20 research papers on topics including rural marketing, farm reforms, depeasantisation, farm suicide, farm debt, and rural education. In addition, he has written over 200 research/policy papers and 83 research reports with research presentations in the United States, Canada, and Australia.

Party old-timers have been adjusted for the remaining eight boards and corporations. The Ludhiana Lok Sabha representative, Dr. Amandeep Mohie, who also ran in the Dakha byelection, has been appointed chairman of Markfed. Baldev Singh Miadian, who contested the Assembly election from Raja Sansi, has been appointed chairman of Pungrain.

The newly elected head of Punjab Agri Export Corporation is Mangal Singh, a long-time AAP supporter from Ludhiana.

Shaminder Kinda, has been appointed chairman of Punjab Agro Industry Corporation and Navjot Jarg as chairman of the Forest Development Corporation, while Jagdeep Singh Sandhu has been appointed chairman of the Punjab Agro Foodgrain Corporation.