Committee On MSP & Farm Issues Will Be Set Up Soon: Agriculture Secretary

Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agrawal said on Monday that a committee on the minimum support price (MSP) and other farm issues, including the promotion of zero-budget natural farming, will be formed "very soon in the near future." 

"This has been announced by the Prime Minister. It must be treated as a mission, as well as the zero-budget natural farming. The committee will be formed in the not-too-distant future "Agrawal told the reporters. 

Agrawal was speaking about a 3-day national festival event on natural farming that would begin on December 14 in Anand, Gujarat. On December 16, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will deliver a virtual valedictory address. 

During the press conference, Gujarat Chief Secretary Pankaj Kumar was also virtually present. 

When asked what parts of natural farming will be examined in the proposed committee that will be formed soon, the secretary stated that the contours of the panel have not yet been determined. 

Modi said on November 19 that the government would set up a committee to make MSP more effective and transparent, as well as suggest ways to promote zero-budget natural farming, while announcing the repeal of three controversial farm laws that had sparked a massive farmer protest near Delhi's borders. 

Thousands of farmers, mostly from Punjab, Haryana, and western Uttar Pradesh, have been protesting these three laws at the Delhi border for over a year. 

The three farm laws were repealed in Parliament on November 29, but the impasse continued as farmers sought assurances from the government on their other demands, including a legal guarantee on MSP, compensation for families of farmers killed during the movement, and the dismissal of cases against them. 

On December 11, protesting farmers agreed to call a halt to their agitation and return to their homes after the government pledged to meet their remaining requests.