Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh today said the Modi Government ensured higher crop procurement during COVID pandemic, which is an indication of the sensitivity with which Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the team led by him are committed to respond to the needs of farmer community during crisis times.Interacting with farmers, Panchayat representatives and local activists of peripheral areas of Basohli and Reasi, Dr Jitendra Singh cited figures to state that despite COVID-19, the procurement of Wheat was 15 percent higher than the last year and about 390 lakh tonnes of wheat was procured throughout the country. He said, despite lockdown measures in place, the Centre has ensured procurement from the doorsteps of farmers.Referring to Government initiatives during the Pandemic for Agricultural Sector, the Minister informed that Centre has distributed Rs 75,000 Crore for procurement and other welfare measures for farmers.He said, even the Wheat Procurement Centres increased 3 fold during Corona crisis and similarly Procurement Centres for Pulses and Oilseeds increased nearly threefold during the pandemic.Dr.Jitendra Singh said that over the last six years, numerous innovative reforms brought in by the Modi government which included Soil Health Card, PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna, Kisan Card, Neem coated urea, Micro-irrigation, creation of e-Mandis and FPOs for the overall benefit of farmers. He reiterated that the minimum support price (MSP) and APMC (Agricultural Produce & Livestock Market Committee) will continue and will never be removed at any cost.
Dr Jitendra Singh cautioned that some vested interests are spreading myths about their abolition, which need to be countered at all levels. He also informed that over the last six years, the MSP on crops was progressively raised by the Modi government.Referring to suicides by farmers, the Union Minister reiterated that that all the pro-farm measures and new Farm Laws having placed specific safeguard and security provisions in place, the farmers will have a window of relief and will lead to farm prosperity. He said, the new measures will usher in a new revolution in farm sector and the young generations will take up this vocation as a new and profitable entrepreneur.Dr Jitendra Singh said that Farm reforms introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi allow liberty to choose the crop cost and give the farmers the freedom to have more buyers and flexibility in choosing the price at which they sell their produce. He categorically stated that a contract agreement will guarantee the farmers to get the fixed price. Moreover, the new legislation clearly prohibits sale, lease or mortgage of farmers’ land, he said.Dr Jitendra Singh appealed to all activists to reach out to each and every farmer in every village and explain to him the big conspiracy being hatched against him. This, he said, will enable the agricultural community to avail of the enormous welfare initiatives introduced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.From Basohli, those who participated in the interaction included Col (Retd) Mahan Singh,Ramchand, Ajit Singh, Naresh Basotra, Jasvinder Singh "Jassi", Kewal Singh, Balbinder Singh,Tejinder Singh, Yubhkaran Singh,Sushma Jamwal, Shanker Singh, Naman Sharma and others.From Reasi those who participated included Padam Dev Singh, Munshi Ram, Mohinder Kumar, Shanker Sharma and others.