The ’award-winning’ journalist, however, conveniently ignored the difference between the MSP and MRP. Firstly, it is important to understand what MSP is and how it is computed. The Minimum Support Price is the guaranteed price at which central and state governments, as well as their agencies, purchase food grains from farmers.
Farmers rejected generous proposal of the centre that would have helped small and marginalised farmers diversify crops and assured transition to sustainable practices.
Union Agriculture Minister Arjun Munda invited the farmers for the fifth round of talks saying that govt is ready to discuss all issues including MSP demand
After the fourth round of talks, General Secretary of Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee Sarvan Singh Pandher asserted that the farmers will continue to move forward with the 'Delhi Chalo' march on February 21 adding that the discussion will also be held on the proposal proposed by the government on MSP.
Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher demanded that the Modi government should bring an ordinance granting a legal guarantee to Minimum Support Price (MSP).
The Modi government has taken numerous initiatives to assist farmers over the last ten years, ranging from MSP to fertiliser subsidies. Fertiliser subsidies have nearly tripled, while the agricultural budget has increased fourfold.
While the Congress party is now promising to legalise MSP if voted to power, back in 2010 his own party’s government led by the then Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh had rejected the Swaminathan Committee’s C2+50 per cent formula recommendation citing “counter-productivity”.