MSP procurement from Punjab 135% higher under NDA than UPA, says govt

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, February 15

The government procured wheat and paddy worth Rs 5.10 lakh crore at minimum support price from Punjab in the last 10 years against Rs 2.16 lakh crore procured during Congress-led UPA’s decade-long dispensation, data of the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare reveals. This represents a rise of 135.75 per cent of foodgrain procurement at MSP from Punjab between the two regimes.

While the procurement of paddy showed a rise of 33.49 per cent during NDA’s 10 years as compared to the previous 10 years, the amount disbursed to farmers marked a rise of 157.22 per cent during the NDA rule. Similarly, the quantity of wheat procured from Punjab showed an increase of 20.61 per cent.

The data shows that the amount disbursed to farmers after purchasing grains at MSP saw a rise of 110.24 per cent during the NDA rule as compared to previous UPA’s 10 years. Of the total purchase, paddy worth Rs 3.02 lakh crore was procured in the state from 2014 to 2024 (up to February 1) benefiting 93.67 lakh farmers against 1.17 lakh crore during UPA government’s 2004-2014 period, official records show.

The data also reveals that wheat worth Rs 2.08 lakh crore was procured from Punjab during the NDA rule that benefited 69.72 lakh farmers, against Rs 98,988 crore disbursed to farmers during 10 years of UPA. As part of the fertiliser subsidy, in the last six years (up to January 2024), 62 lakh farmers in Punjab received subsidised fertilisers worth Rs 263 lakh tonne with a total subsidy of Rs 55,154 crore. Under the PM-KISAN scheme, Rs 4,758.37 crore has been disbursed to 23,36,836 beneficiaries in the state so far, sources said, adding Punjab had not implemented the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana.

In Haryana, on the other hand, since 2016, claims worth Rs 8,138 crore have been paid to farmers as against their share of premium of Rs 2,394 crore. Haryana has also seen Rs 2.23 lakh crore disbursed to farmers during 10 years of the NDA government against Rs 84,786 crore during the UPA regime, which is an increase of 163.44 per cent.

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#Agriculture #Congress #Minimum Support Price MSP