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MSP hike on wheat inadequate: Capt
The CM said the hike does not provide interim relief to the beleaguered farming community, leave alone addressing their long-term concerns.
Punjab chief minister Capt Amarinder Singh on Wednesday rejected as inadequate the ₹85 per quintal hike in wheat MSP announced by the Centre, saying it is not sufficient to meet the increase in agricultural input costs.
Terming it as cosmetic, the CM said the hike does not provide interim relief to the beleaguered farming community, leave alone addressing their long-term concerns.
He also flayed the Centre over its failure to announce the bonus of ₹100 per quintal, which Punjab had been repeatedly demanding for post-harvest management of stubble.
This showed the total lack of concern on the part of the Modi government for the welfare of the farmers, who were living in pitiable conditions, with many of them driven to suicide across the nation, he added.
The MSP hike announced by the Centre does not meet the expectations of the distressed farming community, nor is it adequate to address the root of the problem, as identified by the Swaminathan Commission, said Amarinder Singh, reiterating his demand for in toto implementation of the Commission’s recommendations.
He pointed out that loans to the tune of ₹4609.08 crore have been settled by his government for 5.61 lakh marginal and small farmers in the state so far.
