A war of words ensued between the Deputy Leader of Opposition (LoP) Bishnu Charan Sethi and Odisha Agriculture Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain in the Assembly on Wednesday over the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of paddy.
Targeting the State government, Sethi said, “It is not right to throw the ball into the Centre’s court on every issue.”
Taking the State government to task, Sethi reminded Swain about a promise the Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik had once made during a rally in Bargarh a few years back. “The CM had promised in Bargarh to provide Rs 100 as bonus on paddy, but it is yet to be executed on the ground.”
Taking a jibe at State government’s Mo Bus, Mo Cycle and Mo Sarkar schemes, Sethi said, “Why doesn’t the government come up with Mo Cold Store, Mo Farm Production schemes, which would actually help the farmers.”
Replying to Sethi, Minister Ranendra Pratap Swain invoked BJP’s election manifesto in 2014 where it has promised to implement the Swaminathan Commission recommendations on the MSP. Swain said, “After the party came to power at the Centre, it told the Supreme Court in 2015 that it will not be possible to raise the MSP due to an increased input cost.”
It is pertinent to mention here that the Centre had hiked the minimum support price (MSP) of paddy by Rs 100 to Rs 2,040 per quintal for the 2022-23 crop year in June.
The MSP of common grade variety of paddy was increased to Rs 2,040 per quintal for the 2022-23 crop year from Rs 1,940 in the previous year.
The support price of 'A' grade variety of paddy was hiked to Rs 2,060 per quintal from Rs 1,960.