Congress party leaders on Tuesday cornered the central government at its headquarters in Delhi on issues like MSP, farmer suicides, fair prices of crops and export ban. Congress leader Deepender Hooda said, recently, a standing committee report came out which raised concerns for farming and agriculture sector. More than Rs 1 lakh crore allocated for the agriculture sector was not utilized but was surrendered.
Hooda said that during the tenure of the present regime, more than one lakh farmers have committed suicide, that is, an average of 30 farmers are committing suicide every year.
Surrendered more than Rs 1 lakh crore
Hooda said that on the other hand, corporate loans worth Rs 14.5 lakh crore were waived off. Why are the funds allocated for farmers being surrendered? Is it so that they can be used for the welfare of corporate houses. The Standing Committee report states that the Modi government has surrendered more than Rs 1 lakh crore of the agriculture budget in 5 years. This money was shown only on paper, but was not spent.
More than 1 lakh farmers committed suicide
More than 1 lakh farmers committed suicide during the BJP government from 2014-2022. Couldn't the lives of the farmers be saved by giving relief to the farmers with this money? During the Congress government, farmers' loans worth Rs 72 thousand crore were waived off.
Hooda spoke on agriculture budget
Drawing people's attention on the agriculture budget, Hooda said that the amount of agriculture budget being shown in the country is a deception - because it is not being spent. On the other hand, the agriculture budget is declining every year in comparison to the overall budget of the country. Talking about the figures, farmers had 60% more debt in 2018-19 compared to 2013-14. Apart from this, the demand of MSP could also be met, for which the farmers had also agitated.
Government increased the rate by 47%
The Congress leader said that 80 percent farmers of the country do not get MSP on wheat and 76 percent farmers do not get MSP on paddy. During the UPA government, the MSP of wheat was increased by 119 percent, whereas the current BJP government increased the MSP of wheat by only 47 percent. The UPA government had increased the MSP of paddy by 134 percent, whereas the BJP government increased it by only 50 percent. Where there was a record increase in MSP and loan waiver during the UPA government. Whereas in BJP government neither MSP increased nor loan was waived off. Farmer's income will double. This was also a big deception on the farmer.
Farmers' demands not fulfilled
HUDA said that when the price of wheat, paddy and other grains can be found in the world markets, then export is banned. Where import has to be done, all the rules and regulations are immediately put on hold. This is a double blow of Modi government on the farmers of the country. In such a situation, the talk of farmers' movement is being raised again in February, because whatever demands of the farmers were accepted by the government, they were not fulfilled. The thinking of Modi government is anti-farmer.