The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : MSP: Manmohan meets Congress, TDP leaders

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Oct 28, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

MSP: Manmohan meets Congress, TDP leaders

Special Correspondent

Ban on export of non-basmati rice amounting to a loss of Rs. 3 crore a day
TDP wants Swaminathan panel recommendations implemented

NEW DELHI: Congress Members of Parliament from Andhra Pradesh and their counterparts in the Telugu Desam Party met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh separately on Saturday to press for bringing the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy on a par with wheat.

Also, the two delegations sought lifting of the ban on export of non-basmati rice arguing that the unexpected ban on its export was amounting to a loss of Rs. 3 crore a day. And, the ban on exports had further lowered the price of paddy thereby adding to the plight of rice cultivators.

Briefing mediapersons later, TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu said the Prime Minister assured the delegation that he would discuss the issue with his colleagues in the Council of Ministers. The TDP also pressed for the implementation of recommendations of the National Commission on Agriculture led by M. S. Swaminathan.

During his interaction with the TDP delegation, the Prime Minister is said to have brought up news reports of Mr. Naidu being peeved with him for ignoring his repeated requests for an appointment. On Saturday also, Mr. Naidu had a grouse that the PMO gave his delegation an appointment only after the Congress had met the Prime Minister on the same issue.

Three Ministers

While the TDP delegation included seven of the party’s 10 MPs, besides Mr. Naidu, the Congress team had 18 MPs, including three Ministers — S. Jaipal Reddy, Panabaka Lakshmi and T. Subbarami Reddy. Rajya Sabha member V. Hanumantha Rao indicated to the media after the meeting that there might be some good news for farmers next week when Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy is slated to come to the Capital to petition the Centre on the same issue.

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