NewsGate Press Network

Days before the new Lok Sabha meets for its inaugural session, the Union Cabinet on Wednesday the 19th of June 2024 took a major decision raising minimum support price (MSP) of 14 major crops.

The approved MSP is at least cost plus 50% for 14 crops ahead of the Kharif (summer) sowing season.

The minimum support price of paddy has been increased by ₹ 117.

The spokesperson for cabinet and union information and broadcasting minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said the legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) has been a long-standing demand of farmers who have staged large-scale protests, including some held earlier this year, to press for it.

It may be recalled that three important state elections are due later this year in Haryana, Maharashtra and Jharkhand.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi has always given preference to farmers. The first decision in the third term was taken for farmers. In today’s Cabinet meeting also, a very important decision was taken for the welfare of farmers. The Kharif season is beginning and the Cabinet has approved a minimum support price of 14 crops for the season,” Mr Vaishnaw told reporters during the press briefing after the Cabinet.

“In the 2018 Union Budget, the government of India had taken a clear policy decision that the MSP has to be at least 1.5 times the cost of production. Today’s decision is in line with this principle. The cost has been established in a scientific manner and is based on a study by the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices in various districts and tehsils across the country,” he added.

Post a comment The MSP for paddy for the season has been increased by 5.35%, or ₹ 117, to ₹ 2,300 per quintal and, as a comparison, the minister said the price was 1,310 in 2013-14.

Apart from raising the MSP for 14 major crops, the Union Cabinet also approved the proposal of Airports Authority of India (AAI) for development of Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi including Construction of New Terminal Building, Apron Extension, Runway Extension, Parallel Taxi Track & Allied works.

The estimated financial outgo will be Rs. 2869.65 Crore for enhancing the passenger handling capacity of the airport to 9.9 million passengers per annum (MPPA) from the existing 3.9 MPPA.

The New Terminal Building, which encompasses an area of 75,000 sqm is designed for a capacity of 6 MPPA and for handling 5000 Peak Hour Passengers (PHP).

It is designed to offer a glimpse of the vast cultural heritage of the city.

The proposal includes extending the runway to dimensions 4075m x 45m and constructing a new Apron to park 20 aircraft.

Varanasi airport will be developed as a green airport with the primary objective of ensuring environmental sustainability through energy optimization, waste recycling, carbon footprint reduction, solar energy utilization, and incorporation of natural daylighting, alongside other sustainable measures throughout the planning, development, and operational stages.