AHMEDABAD: Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah, strongly criticised previous administrations, asserting that they had severely mistreated Indian farmers. Speaking at the inauguration of India’s first IFFCO Nano DAP (liquid) manufacturing unit in Kalol, Gujarat, Amit Shah highlighted the stark differences between the agriculture budgets of prior governments and the current Modi government.
Shah emphasised the substantial increase in support for farmers under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, stating, “Before Prime Minister Modi assumed office in 2014, the budget for farmers was a mere Rs 22,000 crore, whereas the Modi government’s budget for 2022-23 stands at Rs 1,22,000 crore.” This reflects a remarkable increase of one lakh crore rupees, demonstrating the government’s unwavering commitment to farmers’ welfare.
He also underlined the government’s extensive support for agricultural loans, comparing the mesahseven lakh crore rupees in 2013-14 to the substantial 19 lakh crore rupees provided by the Modi government in 2023-24. Amit Shah did not stop there; he shed light on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for agricultural products, stating, “Under previous governments, the MSP for rice was a mere Rs 1310, but the Modi government raised it to Rs 2203, marking a significant 68% increase. Similarly, the MSP for wheat was Rs 1,400, which has now been increased to Rs 2275, and pearl millet (Bajra) saw an increase from Rs 1250 to 2500 rupees, a whopping 100% rise.”
Shah also commended the government’s responsiveness during the pandemic, noting that they did not burden farmers with additional expenses when global fertilizer prices surged. He explained, “In 2013-14, the fertilizer subsidy amounted to 73,000 crores, but this will increase to 2,55,000 crore rupees in 2022-23.” Apart from this event, Amit Shah participated in several other programs, including laying the foundation stone for a sports complex in Gandhinagar and initiating various development projects in Sanand. On a different occasion, he also joined the ‘Raas Garba’ celebrations in Ahmedabad, as devotees celebrated Navratri by worshiping Goddess Durga.