The Haryana government will procure chana (gram) at an increased Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 3,100 per quintal from earlier Rs 3,000 per quintal for the upcoming procurement season. The Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has approved for it when an issue concerning implementation of recommendations of Swaminathan Commission report, which has favoured remunerative crop returns, was raised.
In order to increase the agriculture production and to ensure sustainable income of farmers, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had constituted a Working Group of Chief Ministers under chairmanship of Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The Chief Ministers of Punjab, West Bengal and Bihar are the other members of the Group.
Besides, the Central government has already accepted the Working Group’s recommendation to slash down the interest rate on short term crop loan from 11% to 4% which is also being implemented by all nationalized banks in the country.
Further, for steady income of the farmers, the Group had also recommended ensuring 50% profit over cost of production to the farmers.