MSP has now become MSF, 'Maximum Suffering for Farmers', says Surjewala

Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Randeep Singh Surjewala, participating in the Budget discussion on Thursday, 25 July, sharply criticised the Modi regime, asserting that 'MSP' (minimum support price) has now been replaced by "Maximum Suffering for Farmers".

In his speech, Surjewala also alleged that while the Modi government declares MSP, it fails to purchase crops at that price. "The government never spent the Rs 3 lakh crore meant for schemes related to farmers," Surjewala said.

Citing the government's own data, Surjewala presented a fact sheet comparing the announced budget for various schemes to the actual expenditure:

• For the PM Kisan Yojana, the total budget was Rs 40,300 crore, but only Rs 2,34,783 crore was spent, which means 48 per cent of the allocated funds were not utilised.

• The Interest Subsidy for Short Term Credit to Farmers had a total budget of Rs 1,68,743 crore, but only Rs 1,11,423 crore was spent, leaving 34 per cent of the funds unused.

• The National Agricultural Development Scheme had a budget of Rs 54,543 crore, but only Rs 27,385 crore was spent, meaning 50 per cent of the funds were not allocated.

• For the National Horticulture Mission, the total budget was Rs 19,478 crore, but only Rs 14,108 crore was spent.

• The PM Crop Insurance Scheme had a total budget of Rs 1,22,050 crore, but only Rs 88,635 crore was spent, leaving 28 per cent of the funds unutilised.

Surjewala also went on to accuse finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman of lying openly in Parliament.

He contested the minister's claim that farmers were provided with a 50 per cent profit on cost. According to Surjewala, there isn't a single crop for which a 50 per cent profit on cost has been realised, a point he emphasised by presenting evidence to expose the alleged falsehoods.

He described the budget as "anti-farm, anti-farming and anti-farmer", accusing the Modi government of "hitting the farmer on his back with a stick and kicking him in the stomach" metaphorically.

The issue of MSP has been a significant point of contention between the government and the farming community.

MSP is intended to ensure for farmers a minimum price for their produce, acting as a safety net against market-dictated price fluctuations or gluts in the harvest. However, there have been numerous allegations that the government fails to uphold these prices, leading to financial distress among farmers.

Critics argue that while MSP has been announced for various crops, the procurement at these prices is often inadequate, leaving farmers at the mercy of market forces regardless. This exacerbates the economic challenges faced by farmers, many of whom already struggle with agricultural debt and poor market conditions.

Surjewala's speech highlights the broader concerns regarding agricultural policies under the current government.

The Congress-led opposition has been pressing for more transparent and supportive measures to genuinely uplift the agricultural sector, emphasising the need for a robust mechanism to ensure MSP is effectively implemented, providing real relief to the farmers.