New Delhi [India], March 27 : Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan has appealed to the state governments not to purchase any crop of farmers below the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
Chouhan, while speaking to reporters, reiterated that the BJP-led Centre is dedicated to ensuring that the purchase price of the crops does not go below the MSP price and expected the same cooperation from state governments in these purchases.
The Minister further stated that the Centre has given permission to the state governments to buy Toor, Masoor and Urad dal, adding that the work of purchase of Toor Dal is going on in states like Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Telangana through National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited (NCCF).
Speaking on the procurement of gram, mustard and masoor dal, Chouhan asserted that their procurement will be done through Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA scheme).
"...The Agriculture Ministry of the Central government has given permission to the State governments to buy Toor, Masoor and urad dal. The work of purchase of is Toor Dal going on. In Andhra Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Telangana, the purchase at MSP (Minimum Support Price) through NAFED and NCCF is ongoing. I appeal to the States to properly implement this scheme of purchase at MSP. Procurement of Gram, Mustard and Masoor will also be done under PM Asha Yojana. We have given approval to different States (Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Gujarat) for the purchase of Mustard. We have also given pproval for the purchase of Copra in Tamil Nadu," Shivraj Singh Chouhan told reporters.
The Union Minister stated that the central government has ensured the use of NAFED and NCCF portals to simplify the registration process for farmers.
He said, "To simplify the registration process for farmers, we have ensured the use of NAFED and NCCF portals. On behalf of the central government, I appeal to all the state governments to ensure that no purchase is made below MSP prices. The central government is dedicated to ensure that the purchase price of the crops do not go below the MSP price. The state governments should ensure effective cooperation in these purchases. Our aim is to benefit the farmers, and we will leave no stone unturned to fulfill this sacred objective."
Earlier on March 21, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that agriculture is the backbone of India's economy, and farmers are the soul of it.
Replying to the debate in the Lok Sabha on demands for grants related to his ministry, the Union Minister alleged that farmers were killed under the Congress government's rule.
"I was shocked that Jawaharlal Nehru, in his Independence Day speech till 1963, mentioned the farmers only three times," he said, adding that "In Bihar, under the Congress government in 1986, police fired on farmers during a protest, leading to the death of 23 people. In 1988, in Uttar Pradesh, five farmers were killed."
"Agriculture is the backbone of India's economy, and farmers are the soul of it. Farmers are the annadata. Rs 1,51,277 crore were allocated to the Union Ministry of Agriculture in ten years from 2004-14 during Congress rule. The NDA government has allocated Rs 10,75,600 crore for the agriculture sector," he stated.