Kamareddy: MLC Kavitha calls for 'One Nation, One Market, One MSP'

Kamareddy: TRS MLC Kalvakuntla Kavitha stood in solidarity with farmers protesting the farm bills and took part in a massive protest on national highway 44 at Tekriyal village on Tuesday.

She said that the Bill weakens farmers and does not take the stability and protection of the farmers into account and added that the lack of minimum support price (MSP) in the Act enables private players to join agricultural sector.

She gave the example of Bihar, where the abolition of market committee paved way for lower market prices than the MSP, which is against farmers' interest. She claimed that the TRS government has fixed Rs 1,800 as MSP for maize, primary commodity in the State, but the MSP for this produce is Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,200 in other States.

If the government wants to pursue 'One Nation, One Market' then the Modi government must ensure 'One Nation, One Market, One MSP' policy, which is the primary demand of the TRS, too, Kavitha stated.

She said that since they were tabled in Parliament, her party has opposed three farm bills and the TRS is still standing with the farmers and supporting their call for Bharat Bandh. Kavitha observed the BJP government must ensure that nothing is sold below MSP, which will instil a sense of security among farmers and in turn ensure food security within the country.

The MLC said if the government wants to transform the agricultural sector, then the focus must be on improving infrastructure and meeting society's needs. 'While research says that India needs over 40,000 agriculture markets in proportion to the population, there are only 6,500 markets now. Keeping this in mind, if the Centre intends to change the entire situation in the existing manner, our farmers will be the worst hit," she added.