MP Govt step back from 2,700 per quintal wheat MSP promise, farmers angry

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has come under scrutiny for its wheat procurement pricing in Madhya Pradesh (MP).

By Ground Report Desk 14 Mar 2024

New Update

MP Govt step back from 2,700 per quintal wheat MSP promise, farmers angry

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has been scrutinised for its wheat procurement pricing in Madhya Pradesh (MP). During the state assembly elections, the BJP had pledged to purchase wheat from farmers at a support price of Rs 2,700 per quintal. However, post-election, the government announced a bonus of Rs 125 per quintal over the support price of Rs 2,275, effectively setting the purchase price at Rs 2,400 per quintal.

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This move has sparked discontent among the farming community, with the United Kisan Morcha vocalizing their dissatisfaction. Leaders like Ramswaroop Minister and Bablu Jadhav have labelled the government’s decision as a betrayal, citing a failure to fulfil promises made.

The Morcha highlighted that similar pledges made in 2018 for bonuses on wheat, soybean, and onion remained unfulfilled, leading to thousands of farmers still awaiting the promised Bhavantar and bonus amounts. They reiterated their demand for the clearance of outstanding payments since 2018, asserting that the government’s guarantees are proving unreliable.

Farmers demand payment before announcement

The group’s spokespersons have called for the government to honour the originally announced support prices for paddy and wheat in the markets, as a measure of the state’s commitment to being farmer-friendly. The situation mirrors earlier events in Rajasthan, where a bonus of Rs 125 per quintal was announced in February over the MSP of Rs 2,275 per quintal, aligning with BJP’s pre-election promises.

The United Kisan Morcha demands the payment of the outstanding bonus and Bhavantar amount since 2018, stating that every government guarantee is failing, as demonstrated by the non-payment of Bhavantar and bonus amount for the last four years. They insist that the government should first pay the outstanding Bhavantar and bonus amount from 2018, send the amount to the farmers' accounts, and only then make a new announcement.

Ramswaroop, ministers of the United Kisan Morcha including Bablu Jadhav, Chandan Singh Badwaya, Shailendra Patel, Satish Makwana, Arshad Patel Dabi, Sohan Yadav demand that the mandis should sell the paddy and wheat at the support price announced during the elections. They insist on purchasing it at this price. Only then, they assert, will they perceive the Madhya Pradesh government as a farmer-friendly government.