New Delhi, March 18 Launching a scathing attack on the opposition, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan accused opposition-ruled states of "politicizing" the rejection of public welfare schemes simply because they bear the Prime Minister's name.
Chouhan also urged the states to refrain from politicizing public welfare schemes and instead focus on the welfare of the people.
The minister stated that Punjab and West Bengal deprived their farmers of benefits by not implementing the 'PM Fasal Beema Yojana'. He added that the Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana has not been implemented in four districts of West Bengal.
Responding in the Lok Sabha during a discussion on the Demand for Grants under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Chouhan further stated that the government will soon introduce the New Seed Act and the Pesticide Act for the welfare of farmers.
The Centre, he said, has made an "unprecedented" allocation to agriculture in the Union Budget.
The government is working hard to make the process of farm loans easier and accessible to all farmers. The government is making continuous efforts to boost farmers' incomes, he added.
The government is ensuring that only high-quality seeds reach the market, and that inferior ones are not allowed to enter the system, the minister said.
He further stated that Congress legislators demanding a higher Minimum Support Price (MSP) should remember that it was the UPA government that did not accept the Swaminathan formula for MSP calculation.
"They did not work at all on MSP, and they are asking us about MSP," the minister said.
The minister also stated that India has become the number one rice producer, overtaking China. His government, he said, is working in a mission mode on the Digital Agri Mission.
Chouhan added that he is still an active farmer himself and therefore understands the challenges farmers face.
Earlier, participating in the discussion, a Congress MP from Punjab demanded a special package of Rs 50,000 crore for the state's farmers, who he said were in "distress". Amrinder Singh Raja Warring, who's also the president of Punjab Congress, claimed that 750 farmers lost their lives in the state during the farmers' agitation against the three now-repealed agriculture laws, and demanded compensation for their family members.
Naresh Chandra Uttam Patel of the Samajwadi Party urged the government not to allow the import of soybean, dairy products and cattle fodder from abroad, as it would "financially cripple" the farmers involved in these sectors.
Patel also demanded that the government should increase the amount paid under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) from Rs 5 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. Trinamool Congress MP Pratima Mondal said the government has allegedly failed to resolve the problems of the farmers, leading to their poor economic conditions.
The Lok Sabha later passed the Demands for Grants of the Agriculture Ministry with cut motions moved by the opposition, which were rejected by the House.