Chidambaram statement on MSP politically motivated- Naveen

Bhubaneswar,Jun 13 (UNI) Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik today dubbed the recent statement of Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram of Minimum Support Price(MSP) for paddy as politically motivated.

In a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh,copies of which were released to the press here,Mr.Patnaik clarified that the state government has agreed to the recommendation of the Commission of Agricultural Costs and Prices(CACP) to raise the MSP for common variety of paddy at Rs.1000 per quintal.

The Chief Minister took strong exception to the Union Finance Minister's statement before the press that Madhya Pradesh and Orissa governments have recommended a MSP of Rs.850 against the recommendation of Rs.1000 by the CACP.

Mr.Patnaik said even the State Agriculture Minister in the conference of state ministers of agriculture and agricultural marketing held in April 23 last suggested that the MSP of paddy should be raised to at least Rs.1000 per quintal.

He further said the suggestion of the Minister also mentioned in the conclusion and recommendation of the conference circulated on May 23 last by the Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperation department.

The Chief Minister further said he had also requested the Prime Minister in November 27 last to raise the MSP to Rs.1000 per quintal of paddy for khariff 2007.

Mr.Patnaik said his request was turned down by the Union Minister of Agriculture and Consumer Affairs Sharad Pawar in January ,2008.

Drawing the attention of the Prime Minister,the Chief Minister said the MSP for common variety of paddy be raised to Rs.1000 per quintal in the interest of the majority of farmers of orissa for whom the paddy was a very labour intensive crop with high input costs which have further become more costlier due to the raging inflation of more than eight per cent.

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