KalingaTV News Network
New Delhi: Adding to the on-going misery of the farmers in Odisha, Union government on Wednesday rejected Odisha government’s demand for hike of the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of paddy.
According to reports, the Union Agriculture Ministry rejected Odisha’s demand saying MSP hike is not feasible. Besides, it said that the farmers should sell paddy in open market.
The State Assembly had on March 25 unanimously adopted a resolution recommending the state government to demand the Centre for increasing the MSP of paddy to Rs 2,930 per quintal instead of Rs 1,550.
The state Assembly House committee had sought appointments with Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier on two occasions, but the PMO had failed to oblige and even had not responded to the letters following which the House committee held a meeting on November 17 under the chairmanship of Speaker of the Assembly Pradip Kumar Amat to take next course of action over the matter.
During the meeting it was decided to seek a fresh appointment with the PM to present its memorandum for hiking MSP of paddy. However, Odisha Congress Chief Whip Tara Prasad Bahinipati suggested to stage a demonstration in-front of Modi’s official residence in New Delhi over the issue.
Notably, the Central Government on June 20 had announced Rs 1,550 per quintal as the MSP of paddy for 2017-18 by hiking it by a meagre Rs 80. Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had described the announcement as ‘totally disappointing’.
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