Delhi (PIB): Union Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, while addressing the Rajya Sabha, emphasized that the Congress had previously denied farmers the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their crops. In contrast, the Central Government, led by Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, has consistently increased the MSP over the last decade. Shri Chouhan assured that the Central Government will continue to purchase crops from farmers at the MSP, reaffirming the government’s commitment to farmers’ welfare. Shri Chouhan stated that the government will not only fix the Minimum Support Price (MSP) at more than 50% of the production cost but also procure the produce from farmers. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, the government is committed to ensuring beneficial prices for farmers. He highlighted that in 2015, the ministry was renamed as the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, marking a significant shift towards prioritizing farmers welfare, which was previously lacking.
Rajya Sabha Chairman and Vice President Shri Jagdeep Dhankhar affectionately bestowed a new title upon Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, calling him “Kisano Ke Laadle” during the Question Hour in Rajya Sabha. While responding to agriculture-related queries, Chairman Shri Dhankhar praised Minister Chouhan, noting that the man revered as the brother of beloved sisters will now also be cherished as the brother of farmers. Dhankhar expressed confidence that the energetic minister will fulfill his responsibilities in accordance with his name ‘Shivraj.’ He formally declared, “From today, I have given you a new name – Kisano Ke Laadle.”
Union Agriculture Minister Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan assured that the farmers’ produce will be purchased at the minimum support price. Our government will fix an MSP of more than 50% and will also purchase the produce. He stated that this is Narendra Modi’s government, Modi’s guarantee is to fulfill the promise. He further said that when the congress was in power, they had said that they cannot accept the recommendations of the MS Swaminathan Commission. In 2019, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi’s government decided that MSP rates will be fixed by adding 50% profit on the cost. When the congress government was in power, they never gave more than 50% profit to the farmers on cost, but we are committed, we are committed that we will buy the crops of the farmers by giving at least more than 50% profit.
Union Minister said that Modi’s government work with a lot of foresight. Welfare and development of farmers is the top priority of Prime Minister Modi. There has been an unprecedented increase in the budget allocation for agriculture. Till 2013-14, it was only 21 thousand 900 crore rupees, which has now increased to 1 lakh 22 thousand 528 crore rupees. We have six priorities for farmer welfare – we will increase production, reduce the cost of production, give fair price for the production, if there is any loss in the crop, we will compensate for it through Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, we will diversify agriculture and by taking them towards natural farming, we will increase the income of farmers so that farmers will not be in a position to demand loan waiver again and again. “We believe in increasing income. I will utilize all my strength and capabilities to serve our farmers and improve the agricultural landscape”. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has pledged to develop India, and we have created a roadmap to achieve this goal. We are committed to leaving no stone unturned in fulfilling this vision.”
“Shri Chouhan stated that the government provides not only fertilizers but also subsidies to support farmers. Recently, a substantial subsidy of Rs 1 lakh 94 thousand crores was allocated to farmers. This enables farmers to purchase essential items like urea and DAP at lower prices. Notably, the government led by Shri Narendra Modi has achieved a significant milestone by offering subsidies on bags costing Rs 2100. By providing subsidies to farmers across India, the government ensures timely availability of fertilizers, a commitment that will continue in the future. We are actively promoting awareness about the harmful effects of excessive and indiscriminate use of chemical fertilizers. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi shares these concerns, and as a result, we are shifting our focus towards organic and natural farming practices. However, Shri Chouhan assured that our government remains committed to providing subsidized fertilizers to farmers. We have consistently made adequate amounts of fertilizers available and will continue to do so in the future. Our goal is to strike a balance between promoting sustainable farming practices and ensuring that our farmers have access to the resources they need.
