Bhubaneswar: The demand of state Assembly to increase the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy to `2,930 per quintal is unlikely to be implemented this year as the Centre has commenced the process to fix the MSP for the year 2018-19.
“The Union government has sought suggestion from the state government about what is the labour charges per day, cost of production and what charges will be paid to the state government.
We will send our proposal to agriculture department from where it will be routed to the Centre,” said food supplies and consumer welfare minister Surya Narayan Patro here Saturday.
Official sources said that the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices of Union agriculture ministry has recently written a letter to the state government asking it to submit information on market/mandi fees, purchase tax, commission for agents, rural development cess, infrastructure development cess and other charges to be fixed for paddy procurement. Besides, the Centre has also sought state’s recommendation about the paddy MSP.
Based on the cost of production and other charges, the Centre will fix the MSP for paddy for 2018-19.
March 25 this year, the House had unanimously adopted a resolution recommending the state government to ask the Centre for increasing the MSP of paddy to `2,930 per quintal instead of `1,550.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not give an appointment to the House panel to discuss the MSP issue, the Assembly has decided to meet the President to press for
demand of the state.
The BJP, which is opposing the move of the House, said that it will not yield any result.
“When 40 per cent of the paddy has already been procured and process has begun for the next crop season, meeting with either PM or the President will not yield any result. The ruling BJD and Opposition Congress are playing politics over the issue,” said BJP MLA Pradip Purohit.
“As the PM has not given time to the House panel, it is highly necessary to bring this issue to the notice of the President,” said leader of Opposition Narasingha Mishra.
Agriculture Minister Damodar Rout wondered as to how Purohit can predict that meeting the President will not yield any result? Is Purohit some sorts of astrologer, he asked.
PNN
