Tribune News ServiceNew Delhi, September 7
The Vajpayee government today effected a modest increase of Rs 20 in the minimum support price (MSP) of common paddy from the existing Rs 510 per quintal to Rs 530 per quintal for the current kharif season.
This decision of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) is unlikely to satisfy the Chief Ministers of Punjab and Haryana who have been lobbying with the Centre for an increase of Rs 50 per quintal in the MSP for paddy and had met Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee with this demand on August 10 along with Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
The decision was announced by Agriculture Minister Ajit Singh at the end of the CCEA meeting which was presided by the Prime Minister.
The MSP of grade A variety of paddy has been hiked from Rs 540 per qunital to Rs 560 per quintal for 2001-02. The MSP of paddy (common and grade A) varieties has been increased by Rs 10 per quintal over the MSP recommended by the CACP, Mr Singh said.
The MSP of coarse cereals (jowar, bajra, maize and ragi) has been fixed at Rs 485 per quintal — an increase of Rs 40 per quintal as against previous season’s MSP. The MSP of kharif pulses like arhar, moong and urad has been increased by Rs 20 per quintal over last year’s MSP and fixed at Rs 1320 per quintal. The MSP of groundnut-in-shell has been hiked by Rs 120 per quintal — from the existing Rs 1340 per quintal.
The MSP of sunflower seed has been increased by Rs 15 per quintal from the existing Rs 1185 per quintal. The MSP of soyabean (yellow) and soyabean (black) has been fixed at Rs 885 and Rs 795 per quintal, respectively.
