SC seeks TN reply on implementation of MSP, procurement centres

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Tamil Nadu government to file its reply on the implementation of the minimum support price (MSP), its awareness amongst the farmers and availability of procurement centres for the agricultural produce.

Seeking reply on the three suggestions by the amicus curiae Gopal Shankarnarayan, the bench of Justice Dipak Misra and Justice A.M. Khanwilkar said that in the meantime, a report will be called from State Legal Service Authority which in turn would seek report from the Districts Legal Service Authority.

The court said that the report on the implementation of three suggestions should be comprehensive.

Shankarnarayan in his three suggestions has sought the communication of minimum support price to the farmers, access to food grain markets and availability of procurement centre close to the their villages.

He told the court that out of seven crops, farmers knew MSP of only two crops and people were not even aware of the procurement centres.

As the court indicated that it will pass an order on the suggestions by the Amicus curiae, Additional Solicitor General P.S.Narasimha told the bench that all these things were there and court need not pass any order.

The court is hearing of a PIL by Tamil Nadu Centre for Public Interest Litigation, drawing the top court's attention to suicides by the farmers in the state and need for remedial steps.

In the last hearing of the PIL on May 3, the amicus curiae had told the court that famers suicides in the state could be attributed to the lack of their awareness of the MSP fixed by the government and access to grain markets.

--IANS

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