Poll-bound MP announces sops for farmers, incentive on MSP for crops

Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced several measures under the “Chief Minister Agriculture Productivity Scheme” to ensure farmers get fair prices for their produce.

“Under this scheme farmers will be given Rs 200 per quintal incentive in the support price for wheat and paddy crops. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has announced a support price of Rs 1,735 per quintal for wheat. After adding this incentive to it, it will be about Rs 2,000 per quintal,” Chouhan announced while addressing a convention of farmers here on Monday.

He said a bonus amount of Rs 200 per quintal would also be given on paddy next year. The chief minister said that e-procurement of 67.25 lakh metric tonnes of wheat on support price was made in the Rabi season of 2016- 17, and Rs 1,340 crore was paid to 7.38 lakh farmers.

Similarly, the state e-procured 16.59 lakh metric tonnes of paddy on support price in Kharif 2017 and Rs 330 crore would be paid to 2.83 lakh farmers, he said. The chief minister also announced that gram, masoor and mustard crops would be included in the Bhavantar Bhugtan Yojana in 2017-18 and onion in 2018-19.

Chouhan also announced a slew of measures for farmer welfare, including spending Rs 1,200 crore to turn the Chambal ravines into cultivable land and opening of customised processing and service centres in each block which will be run by farmers. The state is slated to go for polls later in the year.