MSP is there, MSP was there, MSP will remain in the future: PM Modi in Rajya Sabha

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has assured all the protesting farmers that the government will not end the Minimum Support Price (MSP), one of their major concerns.

“MSP is there, MSP was there. MSP will remain in the future. Affordable ration for the poor will continue. Mandis will be modernised,” PM Modi said while replying to the motion of thanks at the President’s address, in Rajya Sabha.

He also asked them to end their protests and come to for a dialogue to look for a solution. He said that previous governments have also tried to bring reforms in agriculture laws and what his government is doing is nothing new.

He has emphasized the need to reform the agriculture sector in the interest of the farmers and asked all the parties to move forward for farmers’ welfare.

He quoted former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statement in which Singh has spoken in favour of reforms.

PM Modi said, “Since Manmohan Singh ji is present here, I will read his quote, ‘There are other rigidities because of marketing regime set up in the 1930s which prevent our farmers from selling their produce where they get the highest rate of return. It is our intention to remove all those handicaps wihich come in the way of India realizing its vast potential as one large common market'."

He said that Manmohan Singh’s government had decided to give farmers the freedom to sell their produce and create one market in India.

He said that Congress should be happy that what Manmohan Singh Ji spoke about, his government is implementing it.