Committee on MSP to be set up 'very soon in near future': Agri Secy

Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Agrawal said on Monday that the committee will be formed soon

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

"The Prime Minister has announced this. It has to be taken on a mission mode and the zero budget natural farming also. Very soon in near future, it (the committee) will be set up," Agrawal told the media here.

Agrawal was briefing about a three-day national event with focus on natural farming to be held at Anand, Gujarat, from December 14. Prime Minister Narendra Modi is scheduled to address virtually the valedictory function on December 16.

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

Asked what aspects of natural farming and if the outcome of the national event will be discussed in the proposed committee to be set up soon, the secretary said that the contours of the panel has not yet been decided.

Modi on November 19 while announcing repeal of the three controversial farm laws, which had triggered a massive farmer protest at Delhi borders, had also said the government will set up a committee to make MSP more effective and transparent as well as suggest ways to promote zero budget natural farming.

Thousands of farmers, especially from Punjab, Haryana and western Uttar Pradesh had staged relentless protests at Delhi borders against these three laws for over a year.

The three farm laws were repealed in Parliament on November 29 but the stalemate continued as farmers sought government assurance on their other demands such as legal guarantee on MSP, compensation to families of farmers who died during the movement and withdrawal of cases against them.

Protesting farmers agreed to suspend their agitation and return to their homes on December 11 after the government promised to fulfil their remaining demands.