Gopal Rai meets farmers on implementing Swaminathan Committee Report

Development and Irrigation Minister Gopal Rai Tuesday held a meeting with farmers in outer Delhi's Narela area for devising a mechanism to implement MSP for crops on the basis of recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee Report.

According to an official statement, the meeting was attended by senior government officers, farm experts and farmers from nearby villages.

Rai would meet Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh on Wednesday on implementation of the Swaminathan Committee's recommendations.

The statement said Rai has ordered formation of a committee comprising farmers, officers and sought its report within seven days.

Rai will also hold another meeting with farmers in outer Delhi's Najafgarah, dominated by farm areas, on February 7.

On January 29, the government had organised a meeting to devise a mechanism to implement the minimum support price as per the recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee Report.

Higher wages, input costs, transport charges and cost of other allied services peculiar to Delhi will be factored in while determining the MSP, Rai said last month.

The proposed MSP with 50 per cent margin at the cost of production is Rs 2,616 per quintal for wheat and Rs 2,667 quintal for paddy.

If implemented, it is likely to incur an additional liability of Rs 96.38 crore, Rai told reporters after an Agriculture Conference on implementing the recommendations of the "M S Swaminathan Committee Report on Farmers' Welfare" in Delhi.