The budgetary allocation for farmer-oriented schemes have been cut in the general budget compared to last year by the Central government, the Congress party said on Tuesday.
In addition, the cess on petrol and diesel will push up inflation in essential commodities, said Chhattisgarh Kisan Congress President Chandrashekhar Shukla and financial expert Ramesh Warlyani at a joint press conference.
On Minimum Support Price (MSP), the labour cost of the farmers has been separated from it. There is no discussion on MSP on other crops, they said.
Listing out data, Shailesh Trivedi, the PCC Communication chief, said in agriculture and allied activity services last year the budgetary allocation was Rs 1.54 lakh crores and this year it is Rs 1.48 lakh crores.
The PM Kisan Scheme was Rs 75,000 crores but this year it is only Rs 65,000 crores. Why a 13 percent deduction when the scheme has reached only half of farmers across the country, he added.
If the benefits have to be extended to all the farmers, the budget required is Rs 1.25 lakh crores.
Warlyani said that in PM Asha through which farmers get MSP, last year's budget was Rs 500 crores and this has been reduced to Rs 400 crores this year.
The Central government could only spend Rs 200 crores in Agriculture Infra Fund against the allocation of Rs 1 lakh crore, he pointed out.
Amid Covid-19 pandemic, MGNREGA allocation should have been hiked above Rs 1 lakh crore but only Rs 73,000 crores have been given, said Sharma.