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Farmers upset over Pawar’s statement

CHANDIGARH: All-India Kisan-Khet Mazdoor Congress Chairman Shamser Singh Surjewala said here on Wednesday that the statement of Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar recently summarily denying any increase in the minimum support price (MSP) of wheat beyond Rs.1,000 per quintal had pained the entire farming community, particularly in North India.

Talking to media persons, he said that the vagaries of the weather and the rain god had once again played a cruel joke with the expected bumper rabi crop. The winter rains had failed and almost all reservoirs/dams were reporting less availability of water for irrigation and drinking purposes on account of cyclical fluctuation across the globe.

Increased prices of inputs like diesel, insecticides, pesticides and other farm instruments had further limited the resources of poverty- ridden farming community in the rural hinterland of India.

And the most serious blow was the recent massive rains and hailstorms over last few days in North India causing extensive destruction to wheat and other rabi crops that were ready for harvesting.

The Congress MLA from Kaithal said United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had always shown concern for the problems faced by the farming community.

The historic loan waiver of Rs.60,000 crore for over four crore small and medium farmers in Union Budget-2008 was the biggest proof of this commitment, he said, adding that Ms. Sonia Gandhi had recently asked the Centre to even consider raising the loan waiver ceiling limit beyond five acres for a more inclusive approach.

He said that viewed in this perspective, “I am certain that the assessment of the Union Agriculture Minister of there being no need to increase the MSP of wheat is not based on a fair and pragmatic consideration of the situation prevailing at the grassroots and denial of any additional increase in MSP of wheat has caused serious consternation among the farming community across North India”.

He said the All-India Kisan-Khet Mazdoor Congress had already written to Ms. Gandhi and Dr. Manmohan Singh to intervene in the matter and a delegation of farmers and farm-labourers would be calling on them in the next few days to seek reconsideration of the decision ”.

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