By Our Correspondent
BHUBANESWAR: Union minister for petroleum and natural gas and steel Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday said till the time Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in power, there is no question about removal of minimum support price (MSP).
Addressing a press conference, Pradhan said people who cheated farmers in the past are crying fake tears now.”Till the time Prime Minister Narendra Modi is in power, there is no question of removing MSP. To make farmers self-reliant, the government is spending Rs 1 lakh crore on agriculture infrastructure fund. People who cheated farmers in the past are crying fake tears now. They will not be successful in misleading people,” he said.
He further said even after 70 years of independence, the farmers were not getting a proper price for their crop, but under the new Acts, they will become independent and get a fair price for their produce.”The agricultural sector had not changed for the past 70 years. The free-market policy is being introduced to change that. Now farmers will get a fair price for their crops,” Pradhan said.
The three laws against which farmers and the Opposition are protesting — The Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, The Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and The Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020, Pradhan said.
The much-needed reforms will ensure our ‘Annadatas’ reap the benefits of these reforms and pave the way for India to become an agricultural powerhouse.The #FarmBills will end local monopolies, give freedom to our farmers to sell their produce at the market of their choice, facilitate investment and new technologies in farming and contribute to the prosperity of farmers.The farm sector has played a major role in India’s progress. Our farmers and villages are central to PM Narendra Modi’s vision of #AatmaNirbharBharat, Pradhan said.
“Our govt., under the leadership of PM Modi, has worked relentlessly to ensure prosperity and well-being of farmers.However, some people in the country who have a history of exploiting farmers continue to want to do so by spreading false information on the agrarian reforms. People who were in power for decades are misguiding and instigating farmers to exploit the old system,” Pradhan said
PM Narendra Modi has always worked for empowering farmers right from sowing to selling. Be it taking policy initiatives to address issues of farm credit, providing higher MSPs, or providing record budgetary allocations, PM Modi’s pro-farmer polices have helped our farmers.
Despite the misinformation, MSP on Paddy and Wheat increased by 150% and 135% respectively post 2014. MSP of oilseeds and pulses also witnessed unprecedented growth under #ModiGovt.PM Shri Narendra Modi ji is committed to ensure better prices to farmers. #MSPHaiAurRahega. The farmer-friendly agricultural reforms will boost income of farmers, make them self-reliant and empower crores of farmers including those in Odisha. #AatmNirbharKrishi, Pradhan said.
