Amid the farmers’ protests, the government has moved from a stern “No” to a written assurance.
DMK MP D Ravikumar sought to know if the government was considering bringing legislation on farmers’ right to sell MSP – Narendra Singh Tomar, the Agriculture Minister told Lok Sabha on July 16, 2019, “No”.
The centre has yet not responded to the farmers’ demand to make the Minimum Support Price (MSP) based on the comprehensive cost of production, a legal entitlement of all farmers for all agricultural produce – as per the records show that over the last two years, the government’s stand on legal guarantee form MSP moved from a “no” to “written assurance” on continuing the existing system.
Last year, following the protests against the three farm laws, the government made a decision to offer a written assurance on the continuance of MSP.
During the monsoon session last year, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Tomar clarified that the MSP will continue. He did reiterate this on various occasions later. And finally, on September 21, 2020, a statement in the Lok Sabha read “fixing the MSP for 22 agricultural crops”.
