NEW DELHI: The Narendra Modi government is committed to purchasing all farm produce at the minimum support price (MSP), Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured the Rajya Sabha on Friday. His remarks came during Question Hour amidst discussions on MSP and a farmers’ march to Delhi demanding legal backing for MSP.
“I want to assure the House through you that all produce of farmers will be purchased at the minimum support price. This is the Modi government, and the guarantee to fulfill Modi’s guarantee,” Chouhan declared.
Chouhan defends government’s record on MSP
Citing the Modi government’s policies, Chouhan stated that since 2019, MSP has been calculated to include a 50% profit over the cost of production, benefiting farmers. He contrasted this with the Congress-led governments, alleging they ignored farmers’ demands.
“They [the Congress] have never honored the farmers and never gave serious consideration to remunerative prices. But we, on the other hand, have been giving 50% more than the cost of production for crops like paddy, wheat, jowar, and soybean for the past three years,” Chouhan said.
Chouhan also mentioned the government’s interventions in export duties and pricing when commodity rates fell, underscoring the administration’s commitment to farmers.
Opposition questions and assurances
Responding to Congress MP Jairam Ramesh’s query on MSP, Chouhan reiterated, “We will fix MSP at more than 50% profit and purchase the farmers’ produce.” He accused previous Congress governments of neglecting farmers, adding, “When Congress was in power, farmers shed tears of blood. For me, ‘kisan ki seva’ is like ‘bhagwan ki pooja’.”
Ramesh referred to Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar’s remarks encouraging the minister to engage with farmers. Dhankhar, in turn, expressed confidence in Chouhan’s dedication, saying, “The minister, known as ‘ladli,’ will become ‘kisan ka ladla’ too.”
Focus on income growth, not loan waivers
When asked by RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha about a farm loan waiver framework, Chouhan emphasized the government’s focus on raising farmers’ incomes instead.
“Modi ji’s government works with farsightedness. We will increase production, reduce costs, provide remunerative prices, offer compensation for losses, and promote natural farming to ensure farmers’ incomes grow so much that they no longer need loan waivers,” he said.
Chouhan ended by reiterating the government’s resolve to address farmers’ issues comprehensively, ensuring sustainable growth in agriculture.