Modi flays Centre for inadequate increase in MSP of paddy

Patna, Jun 13 (UNI) Bihar deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi today expressed concern over inadequate increase of Minimum Support Price (MSP) of paddy by the Centre saying it fell short of expectations of the farmers of the state.

In a release here, Mr Modi said the increase of Rs 105-- from Rs 745 to Rs 850, per quintal of paddy was too low to provide the much needed relief to the farmers as they were already struggling with rising cost of irrigation and seeds.

The Centre should have at least increased the MSP of paddy to the level of wheat as more investment was involved for cultivation of paddy crops, he added.

''Even the Commission on agricultural costs and prices had recommended to bring the MSP of paddy on par with wheat'', he said adding the inadequate increase of MSP of paddy would adversely affect Bihar farmers as most of them prefer to cultivate paddy.

Mr Modi said the state government had already decided to give a bonus on per quintal of wheat on MSP fixed by the Centre and it would have to incur the expenditure of Rs 17.5 Crores against this head.

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