Committed to forming MSP panel: Govt

The government is committed to forming a panel on Minimum Support Price (MSP) and the Election Commission has said it can be done after the polls are over, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said in the Rajya Sabha on Friday.

While announcing repeal of three farm laws in November last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to set up a committee to discuss the farmers’ demand of a legal guarantee on MSP.

Replying to a supplementary question during the Question Hour, Tomar said the government had written to the Election Commission in view of assembly elections in five states.

The minister said the matter of forming the Committee on MSP is under consideration of the ministry and will be formed after the elections are over.

”The entire country knows that the prime minister has announced the formation of a committee to make crop diversification, natural farming and MSP effective and transparent. The government is committed to the announcement made by the PM. The matter is under consideration of the ministry,” Tomar said.

He said since the elections are on, the government had written to the EC for guidance.

”The EC’s reply has come. It has said that the committee should be formed after the elections conclude,” the minister said. Elections are scheduled in five states of Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Manipur, Goa and Punjab.