Opposition parties rap govt for letting down farmers on MSP

CHENNAI: The state government’s agriculture budget evoked mixed reactions from the political parties with the opposition parties criticising it, while the DMK allies welcomed it.

Former chief minister O Panneerselvam said the agriculture budget has pushed the farmers to the edge of frustration. “The DMK, prior to the Assembly elections, said the minimum support price announced for paddy and sugarcane in 2021 was very low. Ironically, the DMK was unable to match that price even after being in power for two years. It was unacceptable,” he said.

BJP state president K Annamalai criticised the DMK government for not honouring their poll promise of increasing the minimum support price for a quintal of paddy to Rs 2,500 and Rs 4,000 per tonne of sugarcane. The government presented its third budget without taking the welfare of the farmers into consideration. The farmers were disappointed over this budget, he said and wondered, “How many more years do they have to wait ?”

PMK founder Dr S Ramadoss termed the agriculture budget as a big disappointment to the farmers as the procurement price of the sugarcane and paddy has not been hiked. “However, it is gratifying to see that many of the schemes proposed in the PMK’s shadow budget have been included in this budget,” he said in a statement.

DMK ally CPI’s state secretary R Mutharasan welcomed the agriculture budget saying that many suggestions given by representatives of the farmers’ association, farmers and experts in the consultation meetings found a place in the budget. “Incentives have been announced for agricultural products like sugarcane and paddy. The incentive amount announced for rice should be further increased,” he said, in the statement.

CPM’s Tamil Nadu Vivasaigal Sangam general secretary Sami Natarajan expressed disappointment over the non-fulfilment of the DMK’s electoral promise of providing a minimum support price of Rs 4000 per tonne of sugarcane and Rs 2500 per quintal of paddy. He said that despite a few new announcements and funds allocations, it remains a disappointing budget for farmers.