Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday announced the procurement of all crops in the state at the minimum support price, thus becoming the first in the country to procure all crops at MSP. The Chief Minister also announced the waiving of Rs 133 crore in outstanding canal water irrigation charges.
The major declarations come just ahead of the Assembly elections as the party kickstarted its campaign in the state. After the ruling party suffered a setback in the Lok Sabha elections, Saini has announced several sops to reach out to various sections ahead of assembly polls due later this year.
Addressing the party’s ‘Vijay Shankhnad’ rally, Saini said the BJP government in the state is currently procuring 14 crops at MSP. “I am happy to state that in the last 10 years, the state government purchased 14 crops at MSP. Today, nine more crops are pending. All crops in Haryana will now be bought at MSP by our government. I announce this today,” said Saini.
Saini said the state government also waived the outstanding ‘abiana’ ( canal water for irrigation) charge of Rs 133 crore. It will benefit farmers to the tune of Rs 54 crore per annum, he said.
He also announced the payment of pending compensation of Rs 137 crore within a week to farmers who suffered crop damage because of natural calamity in Rohtak, Nuh, Fatehabad and Sirsa before 2023. This amount will be transferred to the accounts of the farmers, he said.
The Chief Minister said now farmers will be allowed to buy a three-star motor from anywhere in the country for new tubewell connections. At present, only 10 companies of three-star motors are registered in the state. “Now all the companies manufacturing three-star motors in the country will come on the panel of Haryana and farmers will be able to buy three-star motors from any company at their convenience,” he said.
The move will provide great relief to the farmers applying for new tubewell connections till December 31, 2023, said Saini. The Chief Minister appealed to the BJP workers to pledge to visit every household to explain the policies and work done by the government so that the BJP forms its government for the third time in a row.