All crops and expenditure of procurement at MSP increased by 85 per cent in 2014-19 from 2009-14.
Union Minister Hardeep S Puri has said that the Government has not only implemented the recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee to increase MSP to 1.5 times of the cost of production but it increased MSP in the range of 40-70 per cent in case of all crops and expenditure of procurement at MSP increased by 85 per cent in 2014-19 from 2009-14. He added that the budget of the Department of Agriculture has gone up six times in as many years.
Puri informed that MSP is an administrative mechanism and added that the laws specifically provide layers of protection for our farmers, giving them legal safeguards to counter any unwarranted claims of corporates. He further said that the Government has clearly stated in the laws that such acquisition or leasing of land of our farmers will not be allowed in any case. He said that our farmers are the stewards of land, soil and forests and land is truly like their mother. They have dedicated their lives, blood and sweat to its care. He emphasizes that Government would not allow anyone to come and take their land from them.
Puri also added that Punjab and Haryana account for around 30 per cent of the national food production and around 70 per cent of our MSP procurement happens from these states.
