हिंदी
Says this will take agriculture back instead of doubling farm income by 2022 as promised by NDA
Chandigarh,June 9 2021 Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal today termed the meager increase in the minimum support price (msp) of paddy as a retrograde step which would take agriculture back instead of doubling farm income by 2022 as promised by the NDA government.
Terming the marginal increase in the msp of paddy by Rs 72 per quintal for the 2021-22 Kharif season as not even sufficient to cover the increase in the cost of agricultural inputs like diesel and fertilizers, the SAD President said the government should have taken into account the actual cost of production while determining the msp. “The one and a half times income formula should be applied on the actual cost of production including rent and interest foregone by farmers on land and machinery”.
Asking the central government to provide a level playing field to the farming community, Mr Badal said the new msp on paddy was a cruel joke on farmers who were already in a state of crisis due to the three farm laws which were expected to undermine the msp regime and assured government purchase of food grains. “The cavalier manner in which the msp has been calculated also exposes the apathetic attitude of the government towards farmers which borders on hostility. The SAD demands the government provide a remunerative msp to support farmers as well as the agriculture sector. The msp should be increased keeping in view the actual cost of production”, Mr Badal added.
