Central team seeks data from farmers on MSP guarantee; talks again on March 19
Like last time, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann skipped the meeting Saturday. The government was represented by his cabinet ministers, including Finance Minister Harpal Cheema, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, and Food Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak.
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Union Ministers Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Pralhad Joshi after meeting farmers in Chandigarh, Saturday. (Express Photo/Kamleshwar Singh)The farmers unions Saturday said that only Rs 25,000 crore were needed to ensure legal guarantee for MSP on all crops following which a Central team asked them to submit data to back their claim so that it can be discussed with experts, Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Cheema said.
Highlighting that the sixth round of talks was “positive”, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Chouhan said: “The discussion focused on farmers’ welfare — the PM Narendra Modi-led government is committed to it. It was a good discussion. The talks will resume on March 19 in Chandigarh.”
Like last time, Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann skipped the meeting Saturday. The government was represented by his cabinet ministers, including Finance Minister Harpal Cheema, Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddian, and Food Minister Lal Chand Kataruchak.
Cheema said: “Detailed discussion held on MSP for all 23 crops. Farmer leaders said that the legal guarantee for MSP was doable, and provided data from organisations to support the claim. According to Central ministers, there was a mismatch of data provided by government and private organisations. They would now like to check data available with the farmers, which the farm leaders will provide to the Centre in the coming days. The farmers want the data to be made a basis of the legal guarantee for MSP.”
Farm leader Abhimanyu Kohar said: “We presented facts during the meeting on all 23 crops. As per data collected and collated by our experts, the Centre would not have to spend over Rs 25,000 crore on the legal guarantee for MSP. It only needs to give us the price difference after the crops are procured in open market.”
Kohar said: “… This is the first time that every data was provided to ministers as to how procurement would be done, and MSP would be given. Every calculation about every state and its crops was laid on the table. If the Government had the intent, it would only cost them Rs 25,000 crore. They have sought the proposal that they want to have a detailed discussion with the experts, so that they can discuss it threadbare. The farmer organisations will give them the data…”
KMM chief Sarwan Singh Pandher said: “In past five years, Agriculture Ministry has surrendered Rs 1 lakh crore to the Finance Ministry for not being able to use it. The government has funds, and the legal guarantee for MSP is doable. Our data supports this claim. We have calculated data from the Centre’s portal. We will make this data available to them.”
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