JD(U) hails MSP increase

PATNA: The JD(U), an ally of BJP, on Wednesday hailed the Centre’s decision to increase the minimum support price (MSP) of most of the kharif crops, but also urged the Centre to make “stringent arrangements” to procure agri produces from farmers at the increased MSP.
“The decision will make farmers happy and also lead to increase in production,” JD(U) national secretary general K C Tyagi said.

He said though the MSP hikes were in line with the Budget announcements made by Union finance minister Arun Jaitley, the farmers’ main demand to finalise the process for fixation of input cost had not been fulfilled so far.

Tyagi said the farmers of different states had been agitating due to fall in the prices of agricultural products and non-procurement of grains on the fixed MSP. “We urge the Centre to make some stringent arrangements to procure the farmers’ produces at the increased MSP,” he said.