Govt Announces MSP Hike for Rabi Crops to Placate Angry Farmers; Mamata Lauds Suspended Oppn MPs for Fight Against Farm Reforms
The Union Cabinet has approved an increase in minimum support price (MSP) for Rabi crops for the 2021-22 season. In a move aimed at placating angry farmers who fear the recently passed farm bills will end the MSP support. The hike ranges from Rs 50 to Rs 300. The decision comes a day after the two contentious bills – Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Bill, 2020, and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill, 2020 -- were passed amid unprecedented opposition protests in the Rajya Sabha.
'Greater Alliance': West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, while calling for a ‘greater alliance’ against the farm bills, announced that her party is ready to support anyone who wants to take the lead for the sake of farmers. The party is also planning to launch massive protest rallies across the state against the farm bills. The decision to hold protest rallies was taken after Rajya Sabha Chairman Venkaiah Naidu suspended eight members of Parliament (MPs).
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Maratha push: The agitation to push for implementation of Maratha quota in jobs and education is likely to intensify with a mega stir planned in Raigad on September 25. The protest, if it takes place, will come on a day when farmers' unions across India have planned a big agitation against the passage of two contentious farm bills.
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IPL 2020: Sunrisers Hyderabad beat Royal Challengers Bangalore in the inaugural game of the Indian Premier League. Young opener Devdutt Padikkal starred on debut before Yuvzvendra Chahal produced a crafty spell to set up a 10-run win for Royal Challengers Bangalore.
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‘A Tall Order’: Even as state governments have claimed that hospital infrastructure and facilities are being created to meet the increased demand of COVID-19 patients in the country eight months into the fight against coronavirus, a survey has shown that getting a bed for a patient who needs ICU support his only getting difficult. Sneha Mordani writes how even after eight months into Pandemic, access to ICU beds still a tall order.
Mega outreach: The ruling BJP has undertaken a mega outreach at various levels to placate angry farmers who have amplified protests against the contentious farm bills. BJP chief JP Nadda and Union agriculture minister Narendra Singh Tomar have briefed party ministers and MPs to engage with farmers and assure them that MSP support would continue. They are also told to point out that the Congress had promised the same reforms but is now opposing the legislation for “political exploitation”. Payal Mehta writes.