Punjab CM bats for MSP in legal guarantees

New Delhi, Aug 7 : Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Sunday defended the cause of food growers by highlighting the necessity of making minimum support price (MSP) legally binding and ensuring a foolproof marketing systems to promote alternative crops.

But, he said as agriculture is no longer a lucrative enterprise, the farmers are in the midst of a major crisis."All-out efforts must be put in to save farmers from this situation and the Union government must step in." The Chief Minister emphasized the necessity of creating MSP for the crop as a legal guarantee.He stated that it is the necessity of moment so that the interests of farmers can be protected.

Also, Mann said the MSP should be remunerative since the cost of inputs of agriculture has increased by a lot and farmers arent getting the correct cost of their crops.In complete opposition to the committee on MSP established by the Centre, he demanded that it be reconfigured with "real farmers" as its members.

He claimed that the committee is dominated non-expert economists who do not have any understanding of agriculture.Experts of agriculture along with all other stakeholders, should be included as part of the committee.

In expressing concern about the import of pulses in the country at exorbitant prices The Chief Minister stated that the squandering of the countrys wealth must be halted and Punjab could play a crucial role in the process.He stated that the farmers of the state are prepared to make the nation self-reliant in the production of pulses.

The Union government should make an announcement about MSP for pulses as well as a guaranteed marketing system for it.In the same vein, the Chief Minister stated that diversification of crops is essential to help farmers get out of the rut of the cycle of wheat and paddy and to protect the diminishing groundwater levels in the second.The Chief Minister informed the Niti Aayog that the state government is working to improve the structure of education in the state.