Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan
Credit: PTI Photo
New Delhi: Amidst a section of farmers launching Delhi Chalo march pressing for the fulfillment of their demand for MSP, Union Minister for Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday assured them that the Narendra Modi government is committed to purchasing all the farm produce at minimum support price.
While answering supplementary questions during Question Hour on the issue of MSP to farmers in Rajya Sabha, the minister said, "l want to assure the House through you that all produce of farmers will be purchased at minimum support price. This is the Modi government and the guarantee to fulfil Modi's guarantee."
The minister made the promise as a group of farmers from Punjab and Haryana started a foot march to Delhi with a charter of demands, which includes a legal backing to MSP.
Attacking Congress led UPA government, Chouhan said, "When our friends from the other side were in power, they had stated on record that they cannot accept the M S Swaminathan Commission recommendations, especially on giving 50 per cent more than the cost of produce. I have the record. "
After his remarks, Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar asked him to place on record the documents to substantiate his claim, which Chouhan agreed to.
Since 2019, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has decided to calculate the minimum support price by giving 50 per cent profit on cost of production to farmers. The Modi government is already giving remunerative prices to farmers, saying that paddy wheat, jowar, soyabean were being purchased at 50 per cent above the cost of production from three years ago, he said.
Asked by Congress member Jairam Ramesh on his thoughts on MSP, Chouhan said, "I have a clear thought about MSP. We will fix MSP at more than 50 per cent profit and purchase the produce of farmers too."
He added, "You did not purchase the farmers' produce, we will purchase that and fix higher MSP... When Congress was in power, they never purchased farmers' produce at MSP and farmers shed tears of blood, but for me 'kisan ki sewa' is like 'bhagwan ki pooja'."
Ramesh then recalled the words of the Chairman, who holds a constitutional post, to the minister to speak to farmers on MSP.
Chairman Dhankhar said he had travelled with the agriculture minister and was assured of his commitment towards farmers.
"The minister was with me while going and coming back. I told the minister and was assured that the person who was known as 'ladli' will become 'kisan ka ladla' too. I am hopeful that the 'urjawan' (energetic) minister, synonymous with his name 'Shivraj', will make this happen," Dhankhar said.
When RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha asked whether the government was considering setting up a farm loan waiver framework, the minister said the government is working towards increasing farmers' income instead.