Cong to move private member’s bill to ensure MSP protection

THE BILL WILL SEEK PUNISHMENT FOR FIRMS OR TRADERS BUYING FARMERS PRODUCE BELOW MSP

ROHTAK: The Congress has decided to move a private members bill in the upcoming Haryana assembly session, commencing from November 5, seeking punishment for firms or traders buying farmers produce below the minimum support price (MSP).

Leader of opposition Bhupinder Singh Hooda said, “The bill will guarantee that the farmers produce will be procured at MSP and any person or firm found purchasing below this price will face a criminal case. We will see how many MLAS will disagree with our bill.

The Centre’s bill will be applicable in Haryana after the government disables the contract farming law which was passed in 2007 during my regime,” Hooda said.

He said the ruling party is misleading people about the contract farming law, which was implemented during his tenure as the chief minister in 2007. “The contract farming rule framed by my government says the agreed rate or contract rate shall not be less than the MSP of the proceeding year. Where there is no MSP and no agreed rate, the amount of security shall be calculated at the rate of 15% of the prevailing market rate of agreement,” he said.

Speaker to decide if the bill will be tabled or not, says Khattar

Reacting to Hooda’s claims, Haryana chief minister Manohar Lal Khattar said he does not know about the private member’s bill and when such bill was last brought in the assembly. “We will check whether any contract farming law is still applicable in Haryana or not. The Speaker will have to decide whether to table the private bill or not.”

“The Punjab government has passed bills which gives guarantee of MSP for paddy and wheat crops. However, the Haryana government is already purchasing Bajra, moong, mustard seed, wheat, sunflower and paddy crops on MSP,” the CM said.