MSP for kharif crops grossly insufficient: Hooda

‘Haryana coalition govt. has proved again that it is not concerned about the interests of farmers’

Former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday said the hike in minimum support price announced for rabi and kharif crops had proved that the BJP-led government’s promise to double the farmers’ income by 2022 was a mere political gimmick.

Addressing a press conference, Mr. Hooda said the Central government had, a few days ago, announced an increase in the MSP for kharif crops which was grossly insufficient. “This is why 14 paddy-producing States have demanded a further increase from the Central government, calling this increase in MSP insufficient. But surprisingly, the government of Haryana, a major producer of paddy, did not make any such recommendation to the Centre,” said Mr. Hooda.

“States like Telangana and Maharashtra have demanded around ₹4,500 per quintal MSP. In such a situation, the Haryana coalition government should have at least recommended MSP of ₹3,085 per quintal as sought by the Punjab government,” he added.

He said the BJP-JJP coalition government of Haryana had proved time and again that “it was not concerned about the interests of farmers”.

“Inflation is breaking all the records. Petrol and diesel prices are skyrocketing. The government has imposed huge taxes on fertilisers, seeds, medicines and farming equipment. In such a situation, the government has only rubbed salt on the wounds of the farmers by increasing the MSP marginally,” he added.

Mr. Hooda said that during the Congress' “Chintan Shivir” in Jaipur, the committee, headed by him, has once again recommended giving MSP to farmers under the C2 formula of the Swaminathan Commission and enacting a law for MSP guarantee. He said farmers were getting half of what they should be getting under the formula suggested by the Swaminathan Commission.

Mr. Hooda also raised the demand of grain market commission agents and labourers. According to the data available with the association of the commission agents of about 125 grain markets, including Karnal, over 4.20 crore quintal of wheat was procured this season and ₹308.50 crore was to be paid to the agents and labourers. However, payment has still not been made till date, he said.