Pralhad Joshi Assures Support for Protesting Punjab Farmers
On October 27, Union Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, Pralhad Joshi, expressed the Modi government’s strong support for farmers in Punjab. This statement came as farmers continued their protest for better paddy procurement terms. Joshi assured that the government prioritizes farmers and is committed to purchasing their grains, creating necessary storage space, and prioritizing Punjab for grain evacuation.
Joshi highlighted the increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy over the past decade, noting a rise from Rs 1,345 for A grade paddy in 2013-2014 to Rs 2,300 today. He urged Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to enhance procurement efforts and promised that the central government would fulfill its commitments to the farmers.
Earlier, CM Mann had presented several demands to the central government, including adjusting the procurement rate for dry harvest. A significant meeting on paddy procurement was held in Delhi, chaired by Joshi, Minister of State for Food Ravneet Singh Bittu, and CM Mann, to discuss strategies for efficient food grain procurement in Punjab.
Doubts Revealed
Pralhad Joshi -: Pralhad Joshi is a politician in India who is a Union Minister in the government. He is responsible for certain important tasks and decisions at the national level.
Punjab farmers -: Farmers in Punjab, a state in India, who grow crops like paddy (rice) and are currently protesting to get better prices and support from the government.
Modi government -: The government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who is the leader of India. His government makes decisions and policies for the country.
Paddy procurement -: Paddy procurement is the process of the government buying rice crops from farmers to ensure they get a fair price and the country has enough food supply.
Minimum Support Price (MSP) -: Minimum Support Price is the lowest price the government promises to pay farmers for their crops to ensure they don’t face losses.
CM Bhagwant Mann -: Bhagwant Mann is the Chief Minister of Punjab, which means he is the head of the government in the state and makes important decisions for the people there.
Grain evacuation -: Grain evacuation refers to the process of moving harvested grains from farms to storage or markets to ensure they are safely stored and sold.