PM Modi's claims on MSP 'incorrect', says Samyukt Kisan Morcha
Darpan News Desk IANS, 19 Aug, 2021 10:26 AM
New Delhi, Aug 19 (IANS) The Samyukt Kisan Morcha on Wednesday claimed that the Independence Day announcement by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that the Minimum Support Price (MSP) has been increased by 1.5 times is incorrect and the announced MSP is not being realised by all farmers despite his commitment in the Parliament.
"Farmers of the country have realised fully that they cannot depend on the Prime Minister's hyped claims, false promises and spin-narratives, or his 'jumlas'. The hollow claims around remunerative Minimum Support Prices (MSP) stands exposed fully, in addition to the jumla on 'doubling farmers' incomes'," a release from the Morcha said.
"The undependable statements of the Prime Minister lie exposed when we look at the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) reality, more than a year after the pompous announcement. AIF is a 13-year scheme with disbursements till 2023-24. As on August 6, 2021, only Rs 4,503 crore has been sanctioned under AIF for 6,524 projects including 'in-principle' sanctions (4.5 per cent of the so-called 'sanction' announced last year itself). As per a Rajya Sabha response on July 23, 2021, only Rs 746 crore has been disbursed (0.75 per cent of the grand announcement)," the Morcha claimed.
On the 'National Mission on Edible Oils and Oil Palm' with an outlay of Rs 8,844 crore announced on Wednesday, the release said that the emphasis on oil palm cultivation is of concern to many, from health and environmental points of view, apart from corporations such as Patanjali ready to capture the market. "What is striking, however, is that Modi government's mission on edible oils has no solutions placed on the market front for the farmers," it said.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha also warned that Punjab farmers' unions have announced a protest on Thursday during which they will block rail and road traffic on Jalandhar Highway, as sugarcane farmers of the state have been agitating for payment of pending arrears of more than Rs 200 crore due to them from the last crushing season.
It has been over a month since Sonia Gandhi took charge of the Congress once again but the party is still to recover from the severe setback it suffered in the Lok Sabha elections and there seems to be no clear plan in sight about its revival.
Neil Nitin Mukesh witnessed a shocking scene on the sets of his upcoming film, 'Bypass Road’. The actor shared a 42-second clip on Sunday, which shows a standoff between four cats and a snake.
Former vice chancellor of Punjab Agricultural University—who was also known for his contributions to the Green Revolution—Dr Khem Singh Gill passed away on Tuesday morning. He was 89 years old.
