CHANDIGARH: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh has rejected the demand for raising the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for wheat.

Capt. Singh was interacting informally with reporters after he administered the oath of office to three new members of the Punjab Subordinate Services Selection Board (PSSSB).

He said that MSP was always announced to ensure a floor price in the grain markets and prevent the exploitation of the farmers. He also expressed satisfaction that wheat was fetching prices much higher than the MSP.

Responding to the demand made by the President of the Shiromani Akali Dal, Parkash Singh Badal, the Chief Minister said that to pay a bonus of Rs 50 per quintal, the State Government would require Rs 1400 crore, an amount which was not available. He suggested that Mr. Badal should fund the demand from the Rs 3500 crore which he had clandestinely amassed when he was at the helm of affairs during the previous Akali-BJP regime.

Without mentioning the announcement made by the Union Agriculture Minister, Sharad Pawar, about a proposal to workout a package for the indebted farmers in the South Indian States, Capt. Singh said that the State Government's Rural Indebtedness Bill was being studied at various levels for necessary inputs. While pointing out that the aggregate debt on the farmers stood at a whopping Rs 24,000 crores against an annual income of about Rs 7000 crores, Capt. Singh said that it would not be possible for the State Government to waive off even a portion of the debt without the support and participation of the Union Government. Accepting that some relief was required, he said the State Government needed help to bear the colossal financial implication.

Regarding protests at various places against acquisition of land for setting up Industrial units, the Chief Minister said: "These units cannot be set up in air''. Meanwhile, the Akali Dal has announced its decision to join the boycott of grain markets on April 17 and 18 to protest against the anti-farmer policies of the Punjab and the Union Governments. The boycott call has been given by various factions of the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) and other farmers' organisations.

According to a party communiqué, Mr. Badal has directed the rank and file to ensure that the boycott sent a forceful signal to the policy framers and decision makers in New Delhi and Chandigarh. He came down heavily against the Union government's decision to import wheat and its wilful silence on increasing the MSP of wheat. He said that it was amazing that while the Centre was importing wheat at Rs.1250 per quintal, it was refusing to pay its own farmers anything beyond Rs. 650.

Mr. Badal also asked Capt. Singh to explain the exclusion of Punjab from the discussions held by Mr. Pawar with the Chief Ministers of Andhra Pardesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra and Kerala on the tragic issue of farmers' suicides.

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