Other States - Haryana   

Hooda seeks new formula for fixing MSP

Photo: Akhilesh Kumar

Making a point: Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar with Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal and Haryana Chief Minister B.S. Hooda in Chandigarh on Monday.

CHANDIGARH: Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Monday urged Union Agriculture, Food and Civil Supplies Minister Sharad Pawar that the Central Government should link the Minimum Support Price (MSP) with the price index or evolve a formula to fix the MSP and review the norms of the natural calamities relief fund in the larger interest of the farming community.

The Chief Minister met Mr. Pawar here and told him that since the cost of investment in agriculture had increased manifold, the MSP should be decided on a regional basis in view of the cost of inputs. He also pointed out that the State Government had been giving a huge subsidy to the power utilities for the agriculture sector. He also emphasised that the Centre should give a bonus to the farmers on procurement of wheat.

Stating that frost had damaged crops, especially mustard, in the State and the loss had been assessed at Rs.190 crore, Mr. Hooda demanded that the damage caused to crops should be compensated by including frost under the natural calamities relief fund. The norms of the natural calamities relief fund should also be reviewed, he added.

Mr. Hooda said that recently rain, hailstorm and winds had damaged standing crops over an area of about one lakh hectares. The adverse weather conditions would affect the specifications of wheat for procurement. He urged Mr. Pawar to send a committee to take stock of the situation.

Mr. Hooda also apprised the Union Minister of the problem being faced in procuring DAP fertilizer. He also pleaded that in view of the demand for the Pusa 1121 variety of paddy in the international market, the Government should review its decision and farmers should be allowed to export it.

Talking to the media later, the Chief Minister said the exact loss was being assessed and a “girdawari” would be ordered.

Despite the loss to standing crops recently, the State Government would try to achieve its target of wheat procurement, he asserted.

The Chief Minister was accompanied by Haryana Agriculture Minister H.S. Chatha, Chief Secretary Dharam Vir and senior officials of the Agriculture Department.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Hooda seeks new formula for fixing MSP
Rahul Gandhi’s decision hailed
Gurgaon district to have four Assembly seats
New polytechnics for Haryana soon
Jail official attacked by batons, iron rods

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu