Terming Centre's announcement of 'measly' increase in minimum support price (MSP) of paddy as 'betrayal' to farmers, NDA constituent PMK today charged the Narendra Modi government with showing 'stepmotherly' treatment to the agrarian community while giving 'so many concessions to corporates.'
"The price of ordinary and special grade paddy varieties had been increased by a measly Rs 50. This had come us a big disappointment to farmers," party founder S Ramadoss said.
Centre's decision in this regard was a "betrayal of farmers," he said in a statement here.
Ramadoss said the increase was lesser than what the previous UPA had offered over the last three years of its rule and said that the ruling BJP was yet to fulfill a poll-time promise made in this regard last year.
He recalled that BJP had promised to "take steps to enhance the profitability of agriculture by ensuring a minimum of 50 per cent profits over the cost of production," but after one year in office, it was 'yet to take any step to fulfill' it.
"Conversely, BJP is taking an anti-farmer stance in fixing the procurement price of agriculture produce....It is highly condemnable that the NDA government which is giving so many concessions to corporates is showing stepmotherly attitude while fixing procurement prices for farmers," he said.
Government has to ensure that farmers facing natural calamities 'and threats to livelihood like land acquisition' did not make losses, if not profits, he said and demanded that Centre fixed the procurement price of paddy as Rs 2500.
The Cabinet Committee on Economif Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime Minister Modi had approved the MSP of paddy by Rs 50 per quintal for common variety to Rs 1,410 per quintal and Grade A variety to Rs 1,450 per quintal for this year.
