• By Vivek Raj
  • Wed, 14 Feb 2024 01:50 PM (IST)
  • Source:JND
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The Congress party has pledged a legal guarantee of Minimum Support Price (MSP) to farmers if the INDIA alliance secures victory in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This commitment comes amid the ongoing farmers' protests. However, it contradicts a past response by the Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government regarding the recommendations of the Swaminathan Commission.

In a 2010 inquiry in the Rajya Sabha, Bharatiya Janata Party MP Prakash Javadekar queried the UPA government about its stance on the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations for determining remunerative prices for farmers.

Former Union Minister of State for Agriculture, Consumer Affairs, Food, and Public Distribution, KV Thomas, responded in writing that while the Commission recommended setting MSP at least 50 per cent or more than the weighted average cost of production, the government had not accepted this proposal. The response cited concerns that such a mechanical linkage between MSP and production costs could distort the market and be counterproductive in some cases.

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“The recommendation, however, has not been accepted by the government because MSP is recommended by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices(CACP) based on objective criteria and considering variety of relevant factors. Hence, prescribing an increase of at least 50 per cent on cost may distort the market. A mechanical linkage between MSP and cost of production may be counter-productive in some cases,” the reply stated.

However, in a recent social media post, Congress MP Rahul Gandhi hailed the party's decision to ensure a legal guarantee of MSP for farmers based on the Swaminathan Commission's recommendations.

“Farmer brothers, today is a historic day! The Congress has decided to give legal guarantee of MSP to every farmer on crops as per the Swaminathan Commission. This step will change the lives of 15 crore families of farmers by ensuring their prosperity,” Congress MP Rahul Gandhi had said in an X post on Tuesday.

Earlier, farmer leader slammed Congress, saying grand old party is equally responsible as BJP.

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Meanwhile, farmers from around 200 unions persist in their ‘Chalo Delhi’ march towards the national capital to assert their demands including law on MSP, repeal of the Electricity Act 2020, compensation for farmers killed in Lakhimpur Kheri, and the withdrawal of cases against those involved in the farmers' movement.