Gopal Rai seeks farmers’ suggestions : Implementing Swaminathan Committee Report

New Delhi: Development Minister Gopal Rai held a meeting with farmers in outer Delhi's Najafgarh on Thursday and sought their suggestions to devise a mechanism to implement new minimum support price for crops based on recommendations made in the Swaminathan Committee Report.

An official said the meeting was attended by senior government officers, farm experts and farmers from nearby villages.

Talking to reporters here, Rai said the Delhi government is working on two-three measures on how to provide MSPs to farmers. "We will make a strategy based on farmers' suggestions. The government is moving towards implementing new MSP for crops on the basis of Swaminathan Report," Rai said.

On January 29, the government had organised a meeting to devise a mechanism to implement the minimum support price as per the recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee Report.

Higher wages, input costs, transport charges and cost of other allied services peculiar to Delhi will be factored in while determining the MSP, Rai said in January. The proposed MSP with 50 per cent margin at the cost of production is Rs 2,616 per quintal for wheat and Rs 2,667 per quintal for paddy.

If implemented, it is likely to entail an additional liability of Rs 96.38 crore, Rai told reporters after an Agriculture Conference on implementing the recommendations of the 'M S Swaminathan Committee Report on Farmers' Welfare' in Delhi.