Delhi govt allocates Rs 100 cr for MSP to farmers as recommended by Swaminathan Commission

Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia Tuesday announced an allocation of Rs 100 crore for providing Minimum Support Price (MSP) to farmers as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission.

Presenting Delhi government's annual budget for 2019-20 in the Delhi Assembly, Sisodia said Delhi is the first state in the country to implement the Swaminathan Commission report on farming sector.

"I propose Rs 100 crore in budget 2019-20 for this scheme," he said.

Sisodia said the Congress government at the Centre in 2004 was compelled under prevailing circumstances to constitute the Swaminathan Commission which gave its report in 2006.

The Commission recommended that there is only one way to stop farmers' suicides and problems - that is by deciding the MSP of crops, one and half times more than the cost of production, the Deputy chief minister said.

"To provide 1.5 times of MSP to farmers of Delhi, as per Swaminathan Commission report, the 2019-20 budget allocates Rs 100 crore," he said.

The deputy chief minister also announced the launch of 'Smart Krishi Yojana', under which farmers will be provided knowledge of technology for high yielding and high quality variety of crops aimed at helping their income.

Sisodia said an allocation of Rs 400 crore has been made in 2019-20 for infrastructure development of villages in Delhi, which is twice the revised estimate of the previous fiscal.

The total budget for agriculture and rural development is Rs 749 crore for 2019-20. It includes Rs 564 crore for schemes, programmes and projects for agriculture, rural development and allied services, Sisodia added.