VIJAYAWADA: YSRC MP V Vijayasai Reddy has urged the Centre to form a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to engage with the concerned stakeholders and elicit their opinion on the various issues associated with the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Raising the issue during the Zero Hour in the Rajya Sabha, Vijayasai Reddy said though the recent repeal of the three contentious farm laws by the Centre has been unanimously welcomed, it has triggered a larger debate on protecting the interests of farmers. “One issue that has come up time and again is the need for guaranteeing MSP for the farmers’ produce,’’ he said.
The Andhra Pradesh government, under the leadership of Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, has not only been vocal about the need for MSP but also put its words into action. While the Centre has announced MSP for only 23 agricultural products, the AP government announced MSP for an additional 24 commodities. Currently, 47 crops are covered under MSP in AP, which is highest among all States in the country, he pointed out.
“However, there is a need to guarantee MSP for all crops at the national level. For this purpose, wider consultations should be conducted with farmers and farmers’ organisations. I urge the Centre to form a joint parliamentary committee to engage with the concerned stakeholders and elicit their opinion on the various issues associated with MSP,” the YSRC MP said.