Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh ripped into the Centre's newly announced Minimum Support Price for wheat, calling it "pathetic". The support price was announced today after a green signal from the union cabinet amid an escalation in the ongoing protest by farmers against the Centre's three farm laws.
The highest absolute increase in MSP was suggested for lentil (masur), rapeseeds and mustard -- Rs 400 per quintal each. The MSP for wheat was hiked by Rs 40 to Rs 2,015 per quintal. The expected returns to farmers over their cost of production are estimated to be highest in case of wheat, rapeseed and mustard, the government has said.
But for Punjab, the grain bowl of India, it was far below expectation. "This is rubbing of salt on wounds of agitating farmers... the MSP is far below their expectation," Amarinder Singh said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his support for the new support prices ahead of the cabinet meet.
"Taking another big decision today in the interest of farmer brothers and sisters, the government has approved the increase in MSP of all Rabi crops," PM Modi tweeted earlier today.
"While this will ensure maximum remunerative price for the ''Annadataas'', it will also encourage them to sow a wide variety of crops," the Prime Minister said.
The farmers have escalated their protest in neighbouring Haryana, where they are locked in a face-off with the government. With talks with the state government remaining inconclusive for the second consecutive day, the farmers say they will continue their protest in Karnal as is happening at the Delhi borders since November.
The farmers have been demanding the suspension of Ayush Sinha, the IAS officer who had instructed the police to "break the heads" of protesters who were blocking a highway on a day the Chief Minister and other BJP leaders were holding a political meeting in Karnal.
Ten people were injured in the police action that followed and one person had died. The police said the death was due to heart attack, which the farmers have refuted.
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