Being 'anti-farmer' is in DNA of Congress: Agri min Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Being 'anti-farmer' is in the DNA of Congress, said Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday as he took on opposition parties for accusing the Modi government of working against the interest of the farm sector.

Replying to a discussion on the working of his ministry in the Rajya Sabha, the Union minister said the central government increased the budget outlay for the sector many-fold in the last 10 years from 2013-14.

He said farmers are getting fertilisers at highly subsidised prices and will continue to get the farm nutrients at low prices.

"Being anti-farmer is in the DNA of Congress. Priorities of Congress have been misplaced since the beginning," Chouhan said while highlighting the works done by the Modi government in the crucial agriculture sector.

On the other hand, he said, the current government has set six priorities, including increasing farm production, reducing input cost, providing remunerative prices and adequate relief in case of calamities.

The minister, also a former Chief Minister of Madhya Pradesh, assured the opposition parties that the central government was open to considering their concrete suggestions and implementing the workable ones.

During the discussion, opposition parties said the Modi government has not done anything for the agriculture sector in the 10-year rule, and even the latest Union Budget falls short of expectations.

Chouhan also stressed that the Modi government considers farmers as "God" and not a "vote bank" as he dismissed allegations of opposition parties of inadequate government procurement on MSP.