J'khand offers Rs 10 per quintal bonus on MSP to drought-hit paddy farmers

Jharkhand govt has decided to give drought-hit farmers an additional amount of Rs 10 per quintal of paddy over the minimum support price for the crop in 2022-23

The Jharkhand government on Thursday decided to give drought-hit farmers an additional amount of Rs 10 per quintal of paddy over the minimum support price (MSP) for the crop in 2022-23.

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Hemant Soren.

The Centre has fixed MSP at Rs 2,040 per quintal for general variety paddy, and Rs 2,060 for A-grade to be purchased at government centres for the 2022-23 financial year.

"With the state's decision to provide an additional amount of Rs 10, a drought-hit farmer will get Rs 2,050 for selling a quintal of paddy of general variety, while Rs 2,070 per quintal for A-grade, Cabinet Secretary Vandana Dadel said.

She said the state government has set a target to purchase eight-lakh metric tonne of paddy from farmers this season.

A farmer can sell a maximum of 200 quintal of paddy, the official said.

Criticising the JMM-led government, BJP state president Deepak Prakash told PTI: "This is one of the lowest bonus amounts till now. When farmers are needed the government support in the backdrop of drought, it made a joke. Even beggars do not take Rs 10 as alms today."

State Finance Minister Rameshwar Oraon, who is also the minister for food, public distribution and consumer affairs department, told PTI, The state food corporation (SFC) is looking after the paddy procurement process, and will also provide the bonus amount to farmers this year. The SFC is not financially strong and will provide the bonus amount to farmers by taking loan from banks.

In 2021-22, the bonus amount over MSP was Rs 110 and Rs 182 in 2020-21, an agriculture department official said.

Thirty-seven proposals, including the approval of Rs 136.17 crore for reclamation of land at Ranchi's Jhiri dump yard, were passed by the cabinet.

Around 31 acre of land will be made waste free, the official said.