No Delay In Setting Up MSP Panel, Yet To Receive Names From Farmers' Unions: Agriculture Minister

"We had asked for 2-3 members' names from farmers' unions for the committee on MSP. We have not yet received any names," Tomar told PTI on the sidelines of an event.

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar (File photo: AFP)

New Delhi: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Wednesday said that the government is still awaiting the names of members from farmers' unions for setting up a panel on minimum support price (MSP).

While declaring the repeal of three contentious farm laws in November last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had guaranteed that a panel would be set up to make the MSP framework more powerful and straightforward as well as recommend ways of advancing zero budgeting based-horticulture.

"We had asked for 2-3 members' names from farmers' unions for the committee on MSP. We have not yet received any names," Tomar told PTI on the sidelines of an event.

Stating that there has been no deferral in setting up of the panel, the leader said the panel on MSP will be framed not long after the Center gets the names of 2-3 individuals who will address farmers' unions.

Last month, Tomar in a written reply to the Lok Sabha had said the government was under the method involved with framing a panel on MSP.

The board will have agents of the central government, state governments, farmers, agricultural scientists, and agricultural economists.

According to the reports of The Indian Express, replying to a starred question in the Upper House, Tomar said, “Sarkaar Pradhaan Mantri-ji kee ghoshana ke prati pratibaddh hai. Yeh kaayavaee mantraalay mein prachalit hai (The government is committed to the announcement made by the Prime Minister. The process is going on in the ministry.”

He stated: “Since (Assembly) elections are going on, we had written to the Election Commission to seek its consent. The EC has replied in this regard — it has said that action should be taken to form the committee after the election process is over.”

Tomar was answering an advantageous inquiry posed by Samajwadi Party member Sukhram Singh Yadav.

Yadav had asked, “Farmers’ movement has been in discussion not only in the country but even abroad. The government has assured that a committee will be formed on MSP, and this committee will decide on ensuring farmers get justice. I would like to know the composition of that committee and when that committee will give its report.”

Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Kailash Choudhary, initially replied: “As far as the committee is concerned, the Prime Minister had announced on November 19 that we will form a committee which will decide on the farmers’ issues or the MSP. We have written to the Election Commission regarding the committee. Whatever proposal we receive (from EC), we will take further action.”

“Since elections are going on in several states, the committee will be formed after we get permission from there [EC],” Choudhary said.

As Yadav posed one more inquiry on MSP, Tomar subsequently explained.

Earlier, Yadav had asked the government to form a committee for giving legitimate assurance of MSP to agrarian yields, as guaranteed to the Samyukta Kisan Morcha, the farmers' outfit that drove the fights against the three farm laws, in December 2021.

In a written reply to this, Tomar had stated, “As per the changing requirements of the country to change the cropping pattern, to make MSP more effective and transparent, and to encourage natural farming, the process of setting up a committee is under process. At present, in view of the Assembly elections in some states, the process of concurrence of the Election Commission for the formation of (the) committee is under progress.”

(With PTI inputs)