Participating in a short-duration discussion on the 'Serious situation arising due to floods and drought in the country', K C Tyagi of JD(U) took potshots at the government saying while it has run from pillar to post to pass the GST bill, it never took any such initiative on the issue of Minimum Support Price for farmers.
A demand for setting up of a Farmers' Commission was made in Rajya Sabha on Monday as members expressed concern over the plight of farmers during a discussion on the flood and drought situation in the country.
Participating in a short-duration discussion on the 'Serious situation arising due to floods and drought in the country', K C Tyagi of JD(U) took potshots at the government saying while it has run from pillar to post to pass the GST bill, it never took any such initiative on the issue of Minimum Support Price for farmers. He said the government should fulfill its promise on MSP that had made in its election manifesto. He regretted that large portions of land have remained uncultivated in a number of states affecting production of wheat in 24 lakh hectares.
Only 40 per cent of land is irrigated while the rest 60 per cent is at the mercy of God, Tyagi said.
The earning of farmers has not gone up while the salary of even a fourth grade employee is minimum Rs 42,000 after the 7th pay commission besides allowances "from shoe shining to hair cutting" and prices of commodities have sharply increased, he said.
The government should form a Kisan Ayog and make NCP chief and former Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar its Chairman, the JDU leader said, while insisting that views of farmers' leaders need to be taken into account as feedback from mere FICCI and ASSOCHAM will not work.
Basawraj Patil (BJP) also supported the idea of forming a Kisan Ayog saying some such arrangement should be there for farmers on the line of a pay commission for government employees. Patil also made a pitch for cow protection saying no cow should die in absence of fodder and water as it is the "soul" of the nation.
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