NEW DELHI: The BJP chief Amit Shah lauded the decision of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) to hike the minimum support prices (MSP) for the Rabi crops. The BJP chief claimed that the hike in the MSP is part of the target of the government to double farmers’ income by 2022.
“The NDA government under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a big decision in the interest of the farmers for the record increase in the MSP for the second time for the Rabi seasoned crops (2016-17),” said Shah in a media statement.
He stated that the government by increasing the MSP for wheat to Rs 100 per quintal, Gram to Rs 500 per quintal and Masur to Rs 550 per quintal, respectively has set a record. He added that the MSP hike is in the direction of doubling farmers’ income.
“Increasing MSP for the Rabi crop will prove to be a milestone in this direction. Before this the Modi government during the Kharif season had also hiked the MSP for pulses, including Arhar, Mung, substantially. “This decision of the Modi government will not only bring smile on the face of farm producers but also make the country self reliant in terms of pulses requirement. For the first time this government has initiated MSP for the pulses so that the farmers get the right remuneration for their produce and they need not have to squander here and there,” said the BJP chief.
He also claimed that the government has substantially hiked the MSP for various pulses against the rate prevailing in 2013-14. “If we compare the figures before coming of Modi government in power with 2013-14 in terms of MSP then our farmers got almost Rs 1000/quintal on Masur, increase over gram is Rs 900/ quintal, along with the Arhar, Urad and Mung crops of pulses got Rs 700 to Rs 750. This is a clear indication that what the past government could not do in decades Modi has done in two and a half years,” noted Shah.