Bhavantar scheme to figure in central budget but FM should visit MP first: Yogendra Yadav
Hindustan Times 2018-01-19 00:00:00
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Yogendra Yadav(HT file photo)
Swaraj India national president Yogendra Yadav said here on Thursday the central government was considering imposing Bhavantar scheme meant for farmers on the entire country and this was about to figure in the Central budget during the parliament’s budget session. However, Yadav cautioned the government against implementing the same.
“Finance minister Arun Jaitley is to incorporate Bhavantar scheme in the union budget. However, my suggestion rather warning to him is he should visit Madhya Pradesh for a day to have a talk with farmers to know what is the outcome of the scheme implemented here, before imposing the scheme on the entire country”, said Yogendra Yadav talking to media persons on the sidelines of a farmers meet held under the banner of Akhil Bharatiya Kisan Sangharsh Samanvay Samiti.
Bhavantar scheme is the first of its kind scheme in the country implemented in Madhya Pradesh a few months back to offer the difference amount between minimum support price (MSP) and the model rate based on the average of rates of the particular crop in three states. The scheme which covers eight crops including oil seeds, pulses etc is to give a cushion to the farmers if they don’t get minimum support price on selling their produce.
Yogendra Yadav said the scheme was flawed for various reasons. First, a good number of farmers were excluded from the process given the compulsion of registration. Second, there was a market manipulation as the traders deliberately brought down the prices and the government was unable to check the malpractice. Third, the farmers didn’t get the actual difference between the MSP and the model price and the fourth, there was quantitative limit on purchase of produce from the farmers which was not justified.
Dubbing the central government as the worst anti-farmers government so far Yadav said the government had backtracked on most of the promises the BJP had made to the farmers ahead of 2014 Lok Sabha election.
He said Kisan Sangharsh Samanvay Samiti was a conglomeration of as many as 188 organisations working for the welfare of farmers in the country and it was working for submission of two private bills in the parliament to seek a loan waiver and ensure profit to the farmers over the cost of production