Haryana Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala on Sunday said there was no mention of doing away with the minimum support price (MSP) on crops in Centre’s agriculture sector Bills, and that if there is any attempt to discontinue the MSP, he will quit from deputy CM’s post.
“The crops of the farmers would be procured on the MSP and they would have the right to sell the crop in the open market if they get high rates ... I will step down from my portfolio if any attempt to discontinue MSP system surfaces,” he said. He made it clear that farmers would get the MSP for crops, and asked them to not be ‘misled’.
He accused former Chief Minister and leader of Opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda of trying to misguide the farmers for furthering his own political interests. Not only did Mr. Hooda himself advocate open market for farmers, but also signed on such recommendations of a committee set up by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh during regime of UPA as its head.
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Mr. Dushyant accused Mr. Hooda of adopting ‘double standards’ on the issue. “The Congress party supported contract farming in its vision document during its first tenure of UPA and now Congress is opposing the ordinances for political gains, whereas the Bills will open new avenues of progress for the agriculturists,” he said.
The Deputy Chief Minister said that in the coming paddy (rice) procurement season, each grain would be procured on MSP from farmers. Maize would also be procured on MSP, he said.