Punjab Congress on Monday criticised the Narendra Modi-led Central Government for its failure to announce the minimum support price (MSP) for kharif crops.
The party pointed out that it has been a standard practice for the Centre to announce MSP of ensuing crops well in advance, so that the farmers can plan their cropping cycle accordingly.
“Unfortunately the NDA government has failed to announce MSP for two important kharif crops - paddy and cotton, despite the fact that sowing of these crops is almost completed in the northern region,” said party spokesperson Sukhpal Khaira.
The party urged the Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal “to vociferously take up the issue of adequate and timely MSP of kharif crops with the Modi government, particularly paddy and cotton, sowing of which is almost complete”.
Congress also demanded remunerative prices for other kharif crops such as sugarcane, maize, millets etc, apart from the outstanding arrears of Rs 175 crore due to the sugarcane growers of the state.
Khaira pointed that in case the delay was committed by the Congress-led UPA government, Badal would have raised a massive hue and cry and would have slammed the central government of being anti farmer. “But now, Badal has not uttered a single word nor has made his pet demand to link MSP with the price index,” he added.