Govt Is Continuously Increasing MSP On Food Grains For Welfare Of Farmers: Agriculture And Farmer Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that the government is continuously increasing Minimum Support Price (MSP) on food grains for the welfare of farmers. Replying to supplementaries in the Rajya Sabha on a question related to providing a legal guarantee of MSP, Mr. Chouhan said, MSP on Bajara was 1,250 rupees in 2013 which was increased to 2,625 rupees. Likewise, MSP increased on corn to 2,225 rupees from 1,310 rupees. He said, MSP on wheat increased to 2,275 rupees from 1,400 rupees and MSP on Tur to 7,550 from 4,500 rupees. The Minister said, the government is committed to the welfare of farmers and it is providing more than 1 lakh 68 thousand crore rupees subsidy on fertilizers. He said the government is also providing more than 7 thousand crore rupees every year to farmers under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana. The Minister said, the committee on minimum support price (MSP) are deliberating on the various issues with the stakeholders and the government will take steps when the Committee will give its recommendations. He asserted that the government is committed to doubling the income of farmers. He said that when Congress was in power it refused to accept the recommendations of Swaminathan Report.  

When the Minister was replying, heated arguments were witnessed between the Opposition and Treasury benches members. Congress MPs tried to raise the issue of a legal guarantee of MSP. Chairman Jagdeep Dhankhar objected to the conduct of Congress MP Randeep Surjewala and warned him of action. However, opposition MPs continued to create a noisy scene. Mr. Dhankhar said, when the House is taking up the issue of farmers, such disruption is not appropriate. He repeatedly urged the members for order in the house but they continued with their sloganeering. Union Minister Piyush Goyal said, the disruption is being done as per the pre-planned strategy. The Agriculture Minister alleged that the opposition is playing politics in the name of farmers.

Not satisfied with the Minister’s reply, opposition members from Congress, TMC, SP, DMK and others staged a walkout from the house. Later talking to the media outside parliament, Congress MP Randeep Surjewala criticized the government.