Cong demands MSP guarantee for farmers

New Delhi, July 31 The All India Kisan Congress Chairman Sukhpal Singh Khaira on Sunday expressed serious concern at the plight of farmers in the country and demanded Minimum Support Price (MSP) guarantee for farmers.

To press this demand, Khaira announced to undertake a country-wide tour soon to meet farmers in different states to understand their problems.

He demanded that the Centre must guarantee MSP for all crops and stop favouring the corporate sector at the cost of farmers and farm workers.

The Central government had already constituted a committee that will work to make the MSP more effective and transparent.

Apart from MSP, the committee will also promote a zero budget-based farming and changing crop patterns, keeping in mind the changing needs of the country.

Zero budget natural farming means raising crops without using any fertiliser and pesticide or any other external materials. The word 'zero budget' refers to zero cost of production of all crops.

The committee, which will be headed by former Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agarwal, will consist of representatives from the Centre and state governments, farmers, agricultural scientists and economists.

Apart from the Congress, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to reconstitute the committee on MSP for crops by giving due representation to his state.

In a letter marked to the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, Mann said, "It is ironical that the state which has most successfully implemented MSP since the initiation of this scheme has been kept out the committee."

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