Hike in wheat MSP a joke on farmers: Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh

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Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh on Wednesday reacted to the hike in MSP of wheat by Rs 105 quintal, terming it as a joke on the farmers. 

The Cabinet has approved a Rs 105 per quintal hike in the minimum support price of wheat to Rs 1,840 per quintal for 2018-19 season, sources said.

Singh in a statement termed the hike as inadequate. He also said that the hike is less than what was recommended in the MS Swaminathan Commision. 

The chief minister said he has been personally pursuing the matter of full implementation of the Swaminathan Commission report, along with Rs 100 per quintal as compensation to farmers in lieu of not burning the paddy residue. 

Singh alleged that the Centre has failed on both the counts of farmer welfare and environmental pollution, clearly indicating its non-seriousness. 

Singh said the farming community across the country has also been fighting for the implementation of the Swaminathan Commission recommendations, in totality, to ensure better returns for them.

He alleged the BJP-led central government has, over the last four years, failed to take any positive steps for farmers or for any other section of society. 

The BJP-led government at the Centre had promised to double farmers' income, but the promise remains unfulfilled even as its tenure is coming to an end, he added. 

The Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in its meeting on Wednesday approved minimum support prices (MSP) of Rabi crops, they said. 

The MSP of wheat was Rs 1,735 per quintal in the 2017-18 crop year.

The MSP has been increased according to the recommendations of farm advisory body CACP and is in line with the government's announcement to provide farmers a 50 per cent profit over the cost of production.

(With PTI inputs)