BHUBANESWAR: Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan on Thursday tore into the Opposition for launching a disinformation campaign against the Narendra Modi government and misleading the farmers on the new farm laws.
Participating on the motion of thanks on President’s address, Pradhan said those who ruled the country for decades are now questioning the government for not bringing legislation on minimum support price (MSP) for foodgrains.
Without naming the Congress, Pradhan sought to know why MSP law was never brought in the past.
“Your four generations had got opportunity to rule the country. In many states you ruled thinking it was your estate. Who prevented you from getting a law on MSP?” Pradhan asked the Congress.
In his stirring speech, Pradhan said PM Modi has shown to the country that he is truly guided by Odisha’s saint poet Bhima Bhoi’s philosophy of “Mo Jeevana Pachhe Narke Padi Thau, Jagata Uddhara Heu” by dedicating himself to the development of India through welfare of the poor.
Asserting that the Modi government after coming to power in 2014 has substantially increased the procurement of foodgrains at MSP, the he said, “During your (UPA) time (2013-14), a total of `97,110 crore was given as MSP to farmers. The MSP amount has increased to Rs 2.6 lakh crore in 2020-21. You question those working honestly for farmers’ welfare?”.
Taking a jibe at senior BJD leader Prasanna Acharya for demanding implementation of the Swaminathan committee report, Pradhan advised the BJD MP to go through the recommendations made by the commission and what was his comments after implementations of his recommendation by the Modi government. He further requested BJD MP Sasmit Patra to keep the record straight on Swaminathan report and its implementation.
Referring to initiatives taken to achieve the target of doubling farmers’ income, the Union Minister said the efforts to increase ethanol blending, compressed biogas programmes among others will ensure additional income for farmers.
“We have made a scheme for buying 325 crore litre ethanol in 2020-21. We have started buying that will cost Rs 20,000 crore. This will be 8.5 per cent of requirement. In the coming days, we will take it to 20 per cent,”Pradhan said.