Central government ready to give MSP on four more crops, agreement will have to be made for five years
MSP On Four more Crops under Conditions
Farmers will have to sign a five-year agreement with NAFED and CCI for the production of lentils, urad, maize and cotton. Farmer organizations will give their final decision today on the proposal of the Central Government, for now the agitation will continue.
In the fourth round of meeting held between farmer leaders and three Union Ministers in Chandigarh on Sunday on the issue of legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) of crops, the Central Government agreed to give MSP on four more crops. Apart from paddy and wheat, the Central Government has also proposed to give MSP on lentil, urad, maize and cotton crops, but for this, farmers have to go through National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) and Cotton Corporation of India (CCI). Will have to sign a five-year agreement with.
On this proposal of the Centre, the farmer leaders present in the meeting said that they will talk to all the organizations and give the final decision on this on Monday. After the meeting that lasted for about five hours, Union Minister Piyush Goyal told journalists that the fourth round of talks had been very positive.
Diversification of crops is necessary to save the depleting groundwater level in Punjab and Haryana. In view of this, the government has come forward and made this proposal and most of the farmers have agreed in principle.
Meanwhile, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, who was present in the meeting, came out and told the journalists that diversification of crops is very important, provided the government guarantees MSP on alternative crops. After this, other crops can also be brought under it. We will wait for the response of farmer organizations on this proposal of the Centre.
Earlier, in this conversation, farmer organizations have made it clear that the Center should bring an ordinance for the legal guarantee of MSP. He will not accept anything less than this. The meeting, which started late by about two hours, was attended by Union Ministers Arjun Munda, Piyush Goyal and Nityanand Rai along with Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann and Agriculture Minister Gurmeet Singh Khuddiyan.
Even before the meeting, farmer leaders Sarwan Pandher and Jagjit Dallewal said that they would not accept anything less than an ordinance on guarantee of MSP. The meeting was going on till the time of writing the news. Meanwhile, the central government has extended the internet ban in seven districts of Punjab adjoining Haryana, Patiala, SAS Nagar, Bathinda, Muktsar Sahib, Mansa, Sangrur and Fatehgarh Sahib till February 24.
Earlier, internet services were closed in three districts from 12 to 16 February. Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann had raised the issue of internet shutdown with Union Ministers in the meeting held on February 15 in Chandigarh. At the same time, Haryana has also stopped mobile internet and bulk SMS services in Ambala, Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Jind, Hisar, Fatehabad and Sirsa districts.
Earlier, the United Kisan Morcha held a meeting in Ludhiana and decided to make the toll plaza free from 20 to 22 February. Toll plazas were made free in many districts on Sunday also. 37 farmer groups participated in the meeting held in Ludhiana.
Mann said- I talked about the benefit of Punjab
After the meeting, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said that the discussion with the farmers lasted for five hours. I talked about the benefits of Punjab. We had asked for guarantee of MSP on the purchase of pulses, which was discussed today.
Farmer leader said…
After the meeting was over, farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said that we will discuss the government’s proposal (on MSP) with our forums and experts and then reach a conclusion. Our march will continue until our demands are met. Many other demands need to be negotiated.
Punjab Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Committee General Secretary Sarwan Singh Pandher said that we will discuss the government’s proposal in the next two days. The government will also consider other demands. If no result is achieved then we will continue the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march on 21st February.
Haryana: Big fight announced in Mahapanchayat
In the meeting of farmer leaders, Khaps and other organizations of Haryana held at Brahmasarovar, it has been decided that if the talks between the farmer organizations of Punjab with the Union Ministers are unsuccessful, then the farmer organizations and Khap Panchayats of Haryana will join the movement. Will also support the farmers of Delhi in the movement. BKU (Chadhuni) decided in the Mahapanchayat convened at Brahmasarovar that Gurnam Singh Chadhuni would lead the movement from Haryana’s side. Apart from this, a four-member committee will be formed under the leadership of Dr. Omprakash Dhankhar, head of Dhankhar Khap, to formulate the strategy for the movement with the Khaps of Delhi and the farmers.
Another farmer dies of heart attack
Another farmer died of a heart attack on Sunday during the farmers’ protest. Manjeet Singh, a farmer from Kangthala (Patiala), sitting on the Khanauri border of Sangrur, was taken to the Civil Hospital, where he died. Earlier, a farmer from Batala in Gurdaspur and a security personnel from Haryana had also died during the agitation. The farmers had alleged that the farmer died due to ill health due to tear gas smoke.
Before farmers, Union Ministers held a separate meeting with CM Mann
Before the farmer leaders, the Union Ministers held a separate meeting with Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann, Punjab Chief Secretary Anurag Verma and DGP Gaurav Yadav at Hotel Hyatt. Apart from the issues of farmers, the law and order situation of the state was also discussed in this meeting.
