End stir, hold talks: PM Narendra Modi
Prime Minister Narendra Modi speaks in the Rajya Sabha during ongoing Budget Session of Parliament, in New Delhi
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has appealed to the protesting farmers to end their agitation and initiate talks to resolve the issue while assuring that the MSP will continue. He also asked the farmers to give a chance to the agri reforms and said he was always open to change.
The Prime Minister, while replying to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President's address, said the MSP will continue and so will the monthly ration scheme to 80 crore people. Appealing to the agitating farmers to end their protest, he said talks should be held to resolve the issue.
Modi said, "The agri-reforms should be given a chance and MSP was very much there and will continue in the future, and I in the House also say that the ration scheme to 80 crore people will continue."
"There are problems in our agri sector even after record production. We must all work together to solve these problems. During the Covid pandemic, we've also done record purchasing from the farmers. Thus, we've continuously made changes to keep solving problems," Modi said, adding that objections in the House on the farm laws were procedural and even the Opposition accepts that the country needs agri reforms.
The Prime Minister quoted former Prime Ministers Charan Singh and Manmohan Singh on this: "Manmohan Singh ji is here, I would read out his quote for those taking a U-turn on the farm laws and will perhaps agree with him. 'There are other rigidities because of the marketing regime set up in the 1930s which prevent our farmers from selling their produce where they get the highest rate of return." This is what honourable Manmohan Singhji said," the PM added.
The Prime Minister said the number of farmers of less than one hectare has risen by 68 per cent and Rs 90,000 crore claim has been disbursed under the crop insurance scheme and Rs 1.15 lakh crore have been given through the Kisan Samman Nidhi. He said, "It is our intention to remove all those drawbacks which come in the way of India realising its vast potential at becoming one large common market."