Government pledged to MSP, but ‘it’s not part of the law,’ says Agriculture Min amid dispute over farm bills


Narendra Singh Tomar (Image: Twitter / IANS)

Narendra Singh Tomar (Image: Twitter / IANS)

Tomar further said that the NDA government made the key decision in the interest of the country, adding that farmers would benefit from these laws.

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  • Last update: September 24, 2020 11:54 AM M. IST
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Rejecting the demands for the inclusion of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) as a mandatory provision in agriculture bills that were recently passed in Parliament, Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar, He said Wednesday that although the Center was committed to the MSP regime, before “it was not part of the law” and it is not “today.”

According to a report by The Indian Express, the Union minister also criticized the opposition and questioned why, despite being in power for several years, they did not incorporate the MSP as part of the law.


“… I want to tell the people of the Opposition that all of you have been in the government for many years, if the law was necessary for the MSP, then why didn’t you do it? MSP was not part of the law. even before and the MSP is not part of the law even today, ”Tomar said according to the publication.

Insinuating that the government would not give in to the Opposition’s demands on the MSP, Tomar said that the MSP is an administrative decision of the Center and that the hiring has been carried out as a result of it. “The Modi government had begun to declare MSP adding 50 percent profit over cost, ”added Tomar.

Tomar further said that the NDA government made the key decision in the interest of the country, adding that farmers would benefit from these laws. “If any decision is made in the interest of the country, then the Modi government is committed to making that decision regardless of the votes … I am sure that agriculture and farmers will reap a lot of benefits from these bills.” he added.

The Agricultural Products Trade and Trade (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, the Agricultural Price and Services Guarantee Agreement (Empowerment and Protection) for Farmers, 2020 and the Essential Products (Amendment) Bill, 2020 , have been approved by both Houses and await the presidential assent. In particular, the only SAD minister in Narendra Modi’s government, Harsimrat Badal, resigned to protest against these three agricultural bills when they were passed by voice vote in the Lok Sabha.

Protests broke out in several states across the country after the bills were passed. Farmers fear that they will no longer be paid at MSP, while commission agents worry about losing their commission. However, the Center has argued that the bills would benefit farmers and increase their income.

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