Bathinda:Farmer organisations slammed the Punjab govt for no mention of procurement of various crops under the minimum support price (MSP), except wheat and paddy. They also pointed out there was no mention of a farm debt waiver. The Aam Aadmi Party, ahead of 2022, announced it would provide MSP on various crops on its own, along with wheat, paddy, and moong. During the financial year 2022-23 and 2023-24, the state govt announced it would purchase moong and maize on MSP, but it procured very limited stock on MSP, as most of the stock of both crops was sold below MSP. “AAP promised to make purchases of various crops at MSP, but upon forming the govt, it forgot to implement its promise. Even adjoining Haryana claims to be making procurement of various crops. We expected that during the last budget of this govt, the AAP govt would announce procurement of various crops at MSP, but it did not happen,” said farmer leader Manjit Singh Dhaner, who is president BKU Ekta Dakaunda. “The farmers and farm workers waited for a long time for a debt waiver. It was during the previous Captain Amarinder Singh-led Congress govt that it gave a truncated debt waiver, which started in Jan 2018. After that, farmers and farm workers got no respite, due to which the financial condition of small and marginal farmers is turning precarious, which also sometimes leads them towards farmer and farm worker suicides. The state govt should have come to the rescue of the farmers,” said Punjab Kisan Union president Ruldu Singh Mansa. MSID:: 129266916 413 |
