Maha Food Minister flays Centre over price rise, nominal increase in MSP


* However, remains non-committal on State Government’s efforts to provide relief to farmers

Staff Reporter
Anil Deshmukh, Food and Civil Supplies Minister of Maharashtra, accused the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre of evading responsibility over rise in prices of essential commodities. He also flayed the Central Government over ‘nominal’ increase in Minimum Support Price (MSP) for various crops. 

“Central Government has the responsibility of reining in inflation, but it is evading its responsibility and passing the buck to the State Governments. Besides, as against 15-16 per cent rise in input cost of agriculture in last year, Centre has increased MSP for various crops by only 1-2 per cent,” said Deshmukh. He was addressing a press conference at Tilak Patrakar Bhavan here on Wednesday evening.
However, when asked about the Congress-NCP led Maharashtra Government’s efforts to provide relief to farmers and citizens, he said, “I have urged the Chief Minister to move request to the Centre in this regard.” He remained non-committal over State giving bonus to farmers to extend them benefits over and above the MSP declared by Centre. “I have come to speak only about meagre hike in MSP by the Centre,” he told reporters.
According to Deshmukh, the State had recommended hike of Rs 6,505 per quintal for cotton but the Centre had increased MSP for cotton by only Rs 50 from Rs 4,000 per quintal previously to Rs 4,050 per quintal. Similarly, as against State’s demand of Rs 3,995 per quintal for Soyabean, MSP was kept the same at Rs 2,560 per quintal. The MSP for wheat, Tur, paddy was increased by Rs 50 per quintal each. That for Moong was increased from Rs 4,500 per quintal to Rs 4,600 per quintal. Asked about year-wise hike in MSP effected by Congress-led UPA Government in the past few years, Deshmukh said that he did not have data. NDA Government should increase MSP, he demanded.
As far as the issue of price rise and civil supplies was concerned, Deshmukh said that he had attended a conference of Food and Civil Supplies Ministers of various States at New Delhi recently. In the meeting, Deshmukh made several suggestions including offences under Essential Commodities Act to be made non-bailable, keeping central buffer stock to keep Onion prices in check, 35 kg foodgrains to priority sector families under Food Security Act, increase in kerosene quota, etc.
In September 2013, the Central Government scrapped the scheme to provide palm oil at subsidised rates through public distribution system. Besides, in March 2013, the Centre stopped the scheme to distribute Tur (pulse). These schemes should be started immediately to protect people from price rise, Deshmukh said. When pointed out that these schemes were scrapped during the tenure of Congress-led UPA Government, as per his own admission, Deshmukh said, “The scheme is revived only when there is inflation. Back then, inflation was under control.” 

(09-07-2014)

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Chanda boy Dr Vipin Itankar is UPSC topper in State

Image
12-06-14 * Efficiency and effectiveness are the keywords for the topper * Nagpur lads Aawesh Titarmare, Arpit Gudadhe, and Ankur Meshram also bring laurels to the region in UPSC examination results By Kartik Lokhande  “I am blessed. Vipin is extremely hard-working, dedicated and a confident guy I have ever met in my life. He was always at top since college days. I was confident that he would be in top ten in the UPSC examination as well.” (Centre) Dr Vipin Itankar, who secured 14th rank nationally and topped Maharashtra in UPSC Civil Services Examination-2013 results, celebrating with his family members in Chandigarh on Thursday. This is how Dr Shalini, wife of Dr Vipin Vithoba Itankar, reacted on learning that Vipin had emerged as the Maharashtra topper in Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination. Talking to ‘The Hitavada’ over telephone from Chandigarh, where Vipin and Shalini work in Government Medical College and Hospital in Sector 32, both exp...
Read more

Hinganghat: Here rests the great surveyor of India...

Image
  By Kartik Lokhande  Often, the work of explorers lives on but they get buried in the history. This is exactly what has happened in case of Lt Col William Lambton. The man credited with initiating one of the greatest scientific activities in the world -- The Great Trigonometrical Survey of India -- lays buried at a place now known as ‘Kala Gota’ amid a crowded locality behind Bus Stand in the town of Hinganghat in Wardha district. Sadly, the memorial of this great surveyor, whose work led to measuring the highest point on Earth 50 years later, has become a victim of neglect. And, surprisingly, not many know about it and the great significance of Hinganghat in the landmark survey.  Lambton Memorial, known locally as 'Kala Gota' in Hinganghat. (Pic: Kartik Lokhande) Lt Col William Lambton The benchmark stone of Great Trigonometrical Survey, in the courtyard of a house behind Bus Stand in Hinganghat. (Pic by Kartik Lokhande) Lt Col Will...
Read more

Eknath Ranade, the man with ‘Rock’ solid determination

* November 2015 marks the culmination of birth centenary celebrations of Eknath Ranade, a son of Vidarbha who made it the cause of his life to realise the dream of Vivekananda Rock Memorial at Kanyakumari By Kartik Lokhande  It was 1962, a year that had stirred the atmosphere in the country owing to several factors including a war with China. In January 1963, India was to celebrate the birth centenary of Swami Vivekananda. In down south, in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, tension was in the air over Swami Vivekananda’s memorial. There were attempts by some to claim the Rock off the shores of Tamil Nadu where Vivekananda meditated. A firm leadership is required to navigate through little storms in the journey towards realisation of a goal. Eknath Ranade, a man born in village Timtala in Amravati district of Vidarbha region in Maharashtra, was destined to be that firm leader as far as Swami Vivekananda’s memorial at Kanyakumari. Born on November 19, 1914, Eknath Ranade was the ...
Read more