No action but 'jalebi talk' on MSP by Modi govt, alleges Congress

Congress MP and general-secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh has accused the Union government of stonewalling a query in Parliament regarding a guarantee on MSP (minimum support price) for crops as demanded by several farmers' unions.

In response to a question asked by Samajwadi Party MP Ramji Lal Suman on whether the Modi government will bring legislation to guarantee MSP during the ongoing monsoon session of Parliament, Union agriculture minister Shivraj Singh Chauhan appeared to evade the query, according to the Congress.

"For almost 30 minutes, he stonewalled and went round and round in order to avoid answering the question. Legal guarantee for MSP for rice, wheat, and other agri-produce was the issue. All that the Minister accomplished was delivering a jalebi,” Ramesh wrote in an X post.

Rajya Sabha Congress MP Randeep Surjewala accused the Modi government of betraying farmers on the MSP issue. “The Modi Government's betrayal of the country's farmers was exposed on the floor of the House. When the agriculture minister, on behalf of the Modi government, refused to assure a law guaranteeing MSP for farmers. Not only this, they also refused to fix MSP at C2+50%. Crores of farmers of the country will never forgive this arrogance of the Modi government. This government will not last long,” he said.

Suman had asked, “Does the government intend to bring legislation to provide a legal guarantee of MSP to farmers, as per the Swaminathan Committee recommendation, during the current monsoon session of Parliament?”

The minister's reply read, “The government is committed to ensuring that the full benefits of MSP reach the farmers of the country. Hence, a committee has been constituted to suggest ways to make the system more effective and transparent.”

Speaking in Parliament, the minister also claimed that the Modi government has made the highest purchase under MSP during its regime. “This year as well, the government will buy whatever amount of tur, masoor, and urad (varieties of pulses) the farmers produce.”

Notably, the Central government formed the MSP panel seven months after the farmers called off their protest along the Delhi borders in 2021. On 12 July 2022, the government released a notification announcing the formation of a committee to “promote zero-budget-based farming” and to enhance transparency and efficiency in the allocation of MSP.

However, the notification did not mention a legal guarantee for MSP. According to the minister, the committee has held six meetings and the subcommittees have conducted 35 meetings. Despite this, the government has remained silent on whether it will introduce legislation to make MSP a legal guarantee.