'Unreasonable' apprehensions about MSP are being raised-Sitharaman

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has made a indirect  attack on Congress vis-a- vis the new farm legislations, saying those who did not even provide Minimum Support Price (MSP) for commodities other than paddy and wheat were now raising 'unreasonable' apprehensions.Stoutly defending the new farm laws of the Centre, she said these legislations came under the ambit of the union government and it covered inter-state farm trade.

Addressing a press conference in Chennai, the minister said: "MSP is there, it was there, and it shall continue to be there." Under "certain other governments" the focus was only on giving and increasing MSP for paddy and wheat and they did not 'bother' about other crops, she said.Though 20-23 items were covered under the MSP regime, "those who gave" support price only for paddy and wheat and not for other crops are today crying foul, raising apprehensions that the government may do away with the system of MSP and it was surprising, she said,

in an apparent reference to the Congress and others protesting against the Centre's farm measures.Only after the BJP took over the reins in 2014, was the MSP extended to other crops beyond wheat and paddy by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said.Though approximately 23-24 lakh tonnes of pulses were needed, only about 16 lakh tonnes were produced and the remaining was imported, she said adding MSP was given to other crops as well to reverse such a scenario by the NDA government.