New Delhi-  22 February 2024

Information and Broadcasting Minister Anurag Thakur has said that the Centre is ready for talks with protesting farmers who are our “brothers” and “annadaatas”, asserting that the Modi government has taken various steps to ensure higher income for farmers.  Speaking to media persons in New Delhi the Minister said “we were ready for talks earlier and are ready even today and will be ready to discuss their issues even in future.”

Thakur highlighted various steps taken by the Modi government to double farmers’ income and achieve higher growth in the agriculture and allied sectors.  He said the government has doubled the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and increased the procurement by more than two times.

About the Cabinet decision to hike Fair & Remunerative Price for sugarcane for the season 2024-25 by 8% to Rs 340 per quintal, the Minister said “India is paying the highest price for sugarcane in the world.  And the price fixed is 107% higher than the A2 plus formula for sugarcane.  A2 includes all the expenses incurred by the farmers for buying chemicals, fertilizers, seeds and hired labour, while A2 + FL covers actual cost incurred plus implicit cost in the form of family labour.  
The Minister also drew comparison of the highest MSP paid to farmers during 10 years of NDA government than during the previous 10 years of UPA Government. Shri Thakur said the Modi Government has spent Rs 18.39 lakh crore in the last 10 years on procurement of wheat, paddy, oilseeds, and pulses as against Rs 5.5 lakh crore by the UPA regime.  
About fertilizers the Minister said “despite the increase in the prices of fertilizers across the world, we did not allow the prices of fertilizers to increase for the farmers. Government of India gave subsidy up to Rs 3 lakh crore, to ensure that fertilizers are made available to farmers at reasonable rates.

(रिलीज़ आईडी: 2008319) आगंतुक पटल : 20