West Bengal cabinet gives nod to fix Rs 900 per quintal as MSP for potatoes

Don't want to miss the best from Business Standard?

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Tuesday said that the state cabinet gave its approval to fix Rs 900 per quintal as the minimum support price for potatoes.

"We have decided to fix the new minimum support price (MSP) for potatoes at Rs 900 per quintal to help the farmers. This will also ensure that they do not have to resort to distress sale of their produce," Banerjee said at a press conference at the state secretariat.

She also criticised the Damodar Valley Corporation (DVC) for releasing water without informing her government and thus damaging the crops (potatoes) in the fields.

"The state government has created a corpus of Rs 321 crore for providing crop insurance to the farmers," she said, adding that her government would purchase somewhat damaged potatoes from the farmers to ensure that they do not face any loss.

The cabinet also decided that the inauguration of the Jagannath Temple at the popular coastal town of Digha in Purba Medinipur district will be held on 'Akshaya Tritiya', which falls on April 30. She had earlier reviewed the construction of the temple.

"Besides state government representatives, we have also decided to include representatives from different religious and charitable trusts in the board of trustees of the temple," she added.