Punjab CM meets PM, seeks to implement Swaminathan formula for MSP

NEW DELHI: Strongly contending to make agriculture occupation far more profitable and economically viable, the Punjab Chief Minister Mr. Parkash Singh Badal today urged the Prime Minister to immediately implement the Swaminathan formula for determining the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of the crops. Mr. Badal called on the Prime Minister here at his official residence 7-RCR this morning.Disclosing this here today, a spokesperson of the Chief Minister’s Office said that Mr. Badal pleaded for MSP to be fixed according to the guidelines stipulated by eminent agriculture economist Dr. MS Swaminathan thus allowing the farmers to get MSP which should cover production costs plus 50% as profit and hoped it would help to bail out the distressed peasantry from the current agrarian crisis. Batting for diversification as one of the ways to help the beleaguered farmers of the state, the Chief Minister said that the central agency-Food Corporation of India (FCI) should procure maize and sunflower on the pattern of wheat and paddy at MSP. Flagging up another issue to convert Crop Diversification program to Agriculture Diversification, the Chief Minister impressed upon Mr. Modi that the states should be allowed to implement Agriculture Diversification program realizing the ground realities and local needs. Mr. Badal also requested him to strengthen and expand this program to cover not only crop diversification but also allied and subsidiary occupations such as Dairy, Fisheries, Piggery, Fruit & Vegetables cultivation & processing and Bee-keeping.