Union Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan says will stay put in NDA which is returning to power in 2019

The Minister said the government was aware of farmers being shortchanged by insurance companies after they receive premiums in case of damaged crop and is looking into it.
Ram Vilas Paswan (File Photo | PTI)
Ram Vilas Paswan (File Photo | PTI)

NEW DELHI: Lok Janshakti Party leader and Union Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Tuesday scotched all rumours about his party leaving the National Democratic Alliance.

"Let the opposition doors be open; I have nothing to do with it,'' he declared at a party function.

His party sources went on to say that the NDA was returning to power and Mr Narendra Modi will be the next Prime Minister. Mr Paswan raised the demand for a special status for Bihar.

He said that Andhra Pradesh was a "progressive state'', while Bihar was a backward state and had lost a lot of resources to Jharkhand after the latter was carved out of the state.

Speaking to press reporters after the National Executive meeting of his Party's Farmer Cell, Mr Paswan praised the Modi government for steps taken to double the farmers' income.

The Minister said the government was aware of farmers being shortchanged by insurance companies after they receive premiums in case of damaged crop and is looking into it.

He made a special mention of the upcoming minimum support price for Kharif crop which is likely to be announced after the next cabinet meeting.

He said the steps were taken by the government to enable millers to pay off sugarcane growers, the Pradhan Mantri Sichai Yojna, the Fasal Bima Yojna, neem coated urea and soil health card were schemes towards enabling farmers to raise their income.

Mr Paswan said a higher MSP for crops should not be grudged to farmers as motor vehicles etc also come at a higher price and are not considered cause for inflation.

Earlier, the chairman of the Parliamentary Board of the Party, Chirag Paswan addressed the gathering and placed before it a resolution that demanded among other things loan waiver for farmers.

Urging party colleagues to gather information on problems faced by farmers, he said he will place them before the Prime Minister.

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