Centre will form committee on MSP after elections: Narendra Singh Tomar tells Rajya Sabha

The Central government is committed to forming a panel on Minimum Support Price (MSP) and the Election Commission has said it can be done after the assembly polls are over, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar told the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

While announcing the repeal of three farm laws in November last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to set up a committee to discuss the farmers’ demand for a legal guarantee on MSP.

Replying to a supplementary question during the Question Hour, Tomar said the matter of forming the Committee on MSP is under consideration of the ministry and will be formed after the elections are over.

He said since the elections are on, the government had written to the Election Commission EC for guidance.

“The entire country knows that the prime minister has announced the formation of a committee to make crop diversification, natural farming, and MSP effective and transparent.  The government is committed to the announcement made by the PM. The matter is under consideration of the ministry,” Tomar said.

“The EC’s reply has come. It has said that the committee should be formed after the elections conclude,” the minister said.

Notably, the Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) had on Thursday appealed to farmers in Uttar Pradesh to 'punish' the BJP in the upcoming elections for betraying the farmers by not fulfilling their demands. The farmers' body warned that if the government reneged on its written assurance and promises of MSP, “farmers would be left with no option but to resume their agitation.”

Elections are scheduled in five states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Goa, and Punjab.

(With inputs from agency)

Image: PTI