MSP has become 'maximum suffering' for farmers under Modi government: Randeep Surjewala

New Delhi: Minimum support price (MSP) has become 'maximum suffering' for farmers under Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government and the Budget 2024-25 has failed to address issues of people involved in farm activities, Congress Rajya Sabha member Randeep Singh Surjewala said on Thursday.

Taking part in the discussion on the Union Budget, he said the budget is an attempt to save the coalition government, appease allies and take revenge for defeat.

When the finance minister began the budget speech with three words -- farmers, poor and youth -- the whole nation was filled with expectations but within minutes it was clear that this budget is "kursi bachao, sahiyogi dal patao, aur har ka badla lete jao budget" (save the government, appease allies and take revenge for defeat), the Congress leader said.

Surjewala, who hails from Haryana which is going to polls later this year, sought to know "what is there for farmers, youth and the poor" in the budget, and described it as "anti farm, farming and farmers".

He also alleged that farmers have suffered in the last ten years and cited example of the central government taking extreme measures against farmers who were protesting against the "three black (farm) laws".

Surjewala attacked the NDA government for not fixing the MSP on the basis of "C2 plus 50 per cent" formula even for a single crop in the 2024-25 Kharif season.

"This means the finance minister has given an incorrect statement on the floor of the house", that the government has given MSP at 50 per cent over the cost of production.

Surjewala compared the MSPs of various crops recommended by the CACP (Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices) based on 'C2 plus 50 per cent' and the actual that was announced by the government to prove his point.

Under the formula C2 plus 50 per cent, mooted by the late eminent farm scientist MS Swaminathan, the C2 should include the actual cost of production, including account rent and interest foregone on land and machinery owned by farmers.

Further, he said the government was not procuring crops in adequate quantities from farmers at the announced MSPs.

"They announce MSPs but they don't procure at MSP," he alleged, adding, "under the BJP and Modi-led government, MSP has become maximum suffering for farmers".

Citing examples, he said the government procured 187.92 lakh tonnes of wheat in the 2022-23 marketing year as against production of 1,068 lakh tonnes, which is just 18 per cent.

"This is a matter of shame," he said and listed out a series of such low procurements against total production.

Surjewala also said that the government announces big schemes for the agriculture sector but it does not spend the allotted funds.

He alleged that in the last ten years, a whopping Rs 3 lakh crore remained unspent under six major schemes and cited the example of PM Kisan scheme where nearly Rs 2.35 lakh crore have been spent against a total outlay of Rs 4.03 lakh crore during 2019-24 period.

Surjewala also said the input costs for farming, including diesel prices, have risen under the current government. He also said the weight of urea bags has been reduced to 45 kg from 50 kg earlier, effectively increasing costs for farmers.

The Congress MP also drew the attention of the government to high rate of unemployment.