House passes resolution on proposed hike in paddy MSP

Raipur, December 21, 2011

The state Assembly on Wednesday unanimously passed a government resolution on proposed hike in paddy MSP. The resolution was moved by Agriculture Minister Chandrashekhar Sahu who urged the Centre to increase MSP of common paddy to Rs 1980 per quintal and grade-A paddy to Rs 2000 per quintal. The debate on this resolution stretched to over three hours as 16 members from ruling and opposition parties expressed their opinions on it. The proposal will now be sent to the Centre for approval.

Sahu said the rising production cost of paddy crops prompted the government to bring this resolution. When opposition said the proposed hike in paddy MSP should have been more, i.e. Rs 1900 for common paddy and Rs 2250 for grade-A paddy, Sahu said since the current resolution was based on only production cost, the government would ensure to take inputs of opposition members while to making proposal for further hike in MSP before sending it to the Centre.

The Parliamentary Affairs Minister Brijmohan Agrawal said that a joint team of House members (from both ruling and opposition parties) led by Speaker would meet Prime Minister, Agriculture Minister and Food Minister to demand hike in paddy MSP. In this connection, Chief Minister Raman Singh had also given his consent, he added.

Sahu said considering wide varieties of paddy in state, the government would demand from Centre to categorise paddy in three grades instead of two and announce MSP accordingly.

Welcoming the resolution, the opposition termed it a delayed move. “This should have been moved much earlier,” said Leader of the opposition Ravindra Choubey, senior Congress MLAs Nandkumar Patel and Dharmjeet Singh.

Choubey said although the Agriculture Minister intended to benefit farmers through the resolution, it moved it in haste without proper plan.

The opposition felt that the resolution was significant and hence needed detailed discussion incorporating all the aspects. The minister assured to hold comprehensive debate on Paddy MSP and farmer-related problems during the budget session.

Indicating towards farmers’ woes, Congress member Nandkumar Patel suggested that agriculture sector should be linked to MNREGA works to end the problem of labour crisis and increase crop production.

Another Congress member Dharmjeet Singh said the ruling party had ten Lok Sabha from state but none raise voice for paddy MSP at Centre. He said government should stop playing politics on seed distribution and fertilisers should be provided to the farmers through Krishi Upaj Mandis.

Senior BJP member Badridhar Diwan demanded status of industry to agriculture sector. He felt that the Water Resources Department needed to provide more irrigation water to the farmers. He also demanded from the government to make an agriculture policy for farmers pointing that their life begin and end with loans.

Diwan said agriculture had become unprofitable business and hence farmers were rapidly leaving the sector. On increasing production cost of crops, Diwan the government should rethink on the issue before the farmers could resort to method of BJP member Devji Bhai Patel who launched offensive against cement manufacturers to bring down cement prices from Rs 270 to Rs 230.

Agreeing with Diwan, the leader of the opposition Ravindra Choubey said resolution should have included provision of research centres for agriculture as well as training facilities for farmers to increase their crop production. “The government has failed to construct sheds to stock food grains in eight years. It has not even taken any measure to check industrial pollution which is affecting crop production. Still, it has not yet framed any agriculture policy,” he said.

Choubey said since the government moved resolution for paddy MSP hike because it was scared of opposition’s agitations for farmers.

The other House members who participated in the debate were – Shakrajeet Nayak, Lekhram Sahu, Paresh Baghbahra, Pratima Chandrakar, Ambika Markam (all from Congress), Deepak Patel, Devji Bhai Patel, Nandkumar Sahu, Bhima Mandavi, Raju Singh Chhatriya, Virendra Sahu, Narayan Chandel (all from ruling party) and Dujram Boudh from BSP.