Govt will form MSP committee as soon as SKM gives names: Narendra Singh Tomar

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar mentioned within the Rajya Sabha on Friday that the federal government would kind a committee on minimal help value (MSP) as promised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in November 2021 as quickly because it acquired names of representatives from the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM).

Responding to a query by DMK’s M. Shanmugam throughout the Query Hour, Mr. Tomar mentioned the federal government was dedicated to organising the committee. The Prime Minister made the promise whereas asserting the withdrawal of the three farm legal guidelines that farmers had been protesting in opposition to for over a yr.

Mr. Tomar mentioned the Prime Minister had said {that a} committee can be shaped on natural farming, crop diversification and to make MSPs extra clear. The federal government was engaged on the matter.

“Now we have requested the Samyukt Kisan Morcha for names. Talks are on with them. As quickly because the names are acquired, the committee can be shaped,” Mr. Tomar mentioned, referring to the umbrella group of farmers’ unions that had protested in opposition to the farm legal guidelines.

Parboiled rice problem

Earlier within the Query Hour, Shopper, Meals and Public Distribution Minister Piyush Goyal hit out at State governments for “deceptive” farmers on procurement of parboiled rice. In response to a query by Telangana Rashtra Samithi’s Okay. Keshava Rao, he reiterated the Centre’s stand that the States might procure parboiled rice for distribution inside the State, however the Centre wouldn’t. The Centre had knowledgeable the States about its incapacity to acquire parboiled rice, as 4 or 5 years’ value of inventory of the identical was nonetheless in retailer and there was no additional demand.

The Telangana authorities, he noticed, had “given it in writing” that they’d give uncooked rice and never parboiled rice to the Centre. There was an try by “some MPs and a few State governments” to mislead farmers. Mr. Rao had mentioned that the foundations and legal guidelines in query say the federal government would procure paddy, not rice, which may very well be in numerous kinds.