The Hindu : National : Accept higher MSPs: BJP urges government

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Accept higher MSPs: BJP urges government

Special Correspondent

Says suicides by farmers could continue if irrigation facilities are not improved

NEW DELHI: The Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday sought the immediate acceptance of the higher minimum support prices recommended by the Commission for Agriculture Costs and Prices by the government even as it warned that suicides by farmers could continue if irrigation facilities were not improved and farmers did not get remunerative prices for their produce.

The party welcomed the recommendation of a MSP of Rs. 1000 a quintal for paddy on a par with that of wheat. It pointed out that it was the first to demand this parity after the government announced Rs. 1000 a quintal MSP for wheat.

A recent report of the National Sample Survey Organisation had concluded that 43 million farmers were indebted. Party spokesperson Prakash Javadekar demanded that loans of Rs. 50,000 or less should be written off in line with the party’s resolution on the subject.

The party wanted accelerated investment in irrigation, changes in the Land Acquisition Act, a farm income guarantee insurance scheme and easier institutional credit to farmers. Mr. Javadekar said an agriculture loan remission policy should be announced without delay.

Investors cell plea

Separately, the investors cell of the BJP demanded protection of small investors at a time when the market was volatile.

Senior leader Murli Manohar Joshi pleaded for better regulation, including a regulatory body for the real estate sector.

He said standard deduction should be given to all salaried employees and those who are not liable to pay income tax should be allowed to open de-mat accounts even if they did not have Permanent Account Numbers (PAN).

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