MSP an 'administrative' move: Prakash Javadekar

Chennai, December 25

The Minimum Support Price announced by the government for crops is an administrative decision, which has been working very well for decades and the arrangement would continue, Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said here on Friday.

Asked if statutory backing would be provided for the MSP, especially when his government has come forward to assure farmers in black and white that MSP would continue, he said the support price had always been an administrative decision.

“MSP has always been an administrative decision and it has been working fine for the last 55 years. We will continue the arrangement, which has been in operation for last 55 years,” he told reporters here.

Addressing a press conference, Javadekar, Minister for Environment, Forest and Information, said the government was always ready to talk to farmers.

The campaign to “misguide” farmers was successful to an extent only in Punjab and there was no agitation anywhere else in the country, he said.

“Yes, Punjab farmers have some misgivings and we are ready to talk to them. We already had six rounds of talks and today Prime Minister Narendra Modi has invited farmers’ organisations for further talks.”

Citing recent results of elections to local bodies and by-polls in various regions of the country in which BJP posted impressive victories, he said it was people’s endorsement of the credibility of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the BJP and the government. PTI