Amid growing resentment among the farmers against BJP after Madhya Pradesh’s Mandsaur firing incident, Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, OP Dhankar on Wednesday claimed that the State Government is implementing the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission in a step-wise manner, and is offering the highest-ever compensation and incentives to the farmers. Talking to reporters, Dhankar said that the State Government is working in the interests of farmers and had disbursed Rs 2,500 crore as compensation in two-and-a-half years of its tenure.
When asked about farmer’s demand of enhancing MSP of various crops, he said, it is the constant endeavour of Government to ensure that farmers get the best price for their produce, and that they do not suffer losses due to drastic drop in price. “ We want the farmers to maximise their profits, and provide them support by offering MSP for their produce,” he added.
Replying to another question related to the issue, he said that while drastic changes in selling price of produce were the result of market forces, the Government is working on a plan to seek possibilities for
stabilising prices of staples like potato, cauliflower, tomato and onion. It is being considered to levy more taxes when prices improve, and use the funds thus collected for farmers’
welfare when the prices drop, he said. Hitting out at former Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda who will hold kisan panchayats in various
districts to raise farmers’ issues, Dhankar said that while the report of the Swaminathan Commission was submitted to the Government in 2006, the previous State Government led by Hooda, failed to implement the recommendations of this report, which was finally implemented by the present State Government. “
“The Haryana Government is working to make farmers self-sufficient instead of depending on loans by fixing a target to increase their income to Rs 1 lakh per acre. However, it is a reality that farmers in all corners of the world require assistance in the form of subsidies as the agriculture sector does not result in earnings as high as that of the service sector. The State Government offers subsidies to the tune of Rs 11,000 crore per year,” he added.
The Agriculture Minister also invited all farmers’ organisations for talks on June 30 regarding their demands.