Previous governments stalled decision on MSP: Modi

Midnapore (West Bengal), July 16 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday accused previous central governments and those ruling the states of not taking any concrete decision on hiking minimum support prices (MSP) despite demands from farmers.

"The demand for raising the Minimum Support Prices were placed before every government. Lot of commissions and committees were formed. But every time it was stalled. Files kept on piling.

"The farmers went on demanding and agitating... But neither the state governments, nor those in power in Delhi heard the farmers. After the BJP came to power, we have decided to provide minimum support price of one and a half time of their cost," Modi told a rally here.

"The hike in MSP for farmers would empower peasants of West Bengal as well," the Prime Minister said.

The central government recently approved a MSP, providing farmers a profit of 50 per cent or more over "cost of production", for Kharif crops for 2018-19.

"Overwhelmed" by the huge turnout at the Kisan Kalyan rally, Modi said farmers' contribution to the Indian economy was invaluable.

"My government is your government and it is a pro-farmer government," he told the famers.

With an objective to ensure ease of living, understanding farmers' needs, delivering benefits to those on the margins, the central government has been bringing policy reforms, he said.