Chandigarh, December 7:  Haryana Chief Minister, Mr. Manohar Lal  today said that the three newly passed agricultural bills are in the interest of farmers.  He said that the State Government's goal is to make farmers self-reliant. He said that farmers of Haryana are happy with the new bills, but the opposition is misleading innocent  farmers just to achieve their vested interests.  

Mr. Manohar Lal said that  Congress is doing petty politics, those doing such cheap politics should be condemned.  Opposition certainly knows that under the effective leadership of Prime Minister, Mr.  Narendra Modi, they won't be allowed to continue their corrupt practices, he said.

The Chief Minister said this while interacting with the media persons at the Public Works Rest House in Gurugram today. He said that the State Government has taken  several steps for the benefit of farmers. 

Referring to the steps taken in the interest of farmers, the Chief Minister said that since the BJP came into power, a lot of work in the interest of the farmers has been done.  During May 2015, when the crops were damaged then,  for the first time farmers were given such huge compensation, which they had not got  even in the last 48 years. 

The Chief Minister said that the State Government have made many such arrangements for the farmers as keeping in mind the interests of the farmers when they were selling their fruits and vegetables at a loss, then the  State Government had implemented Bhavantar Bharpai Yojana, through which financial assistance worth crores of rupees was given to the farmers.  

Similarly, a campaign to save water was carried out throughout the State.  Under 'Mera Pani Meri Virasat Yojana', farmers were motivated to cultivate alternate crops over 80,0000 acres of land.  For the procurement of crops during the COVID-19 period, the number of Mandis was increased from 400 to 1800. This step of increasing the procurement centres was even praised by the farmers too, said Mr. Manohar Lal. 

The Chief Minister said that the Central Government purchases paddy and wheat through  FCI.  In Haryana, the state government is purchasing mustard, millet, moong, groundnut, sunflower, maize at the Minimum Support Price. 

The Chief Minister informed that procurement of  Millet was done at Rs. 2150 per quintal in the state,  whereas the Rajasthan Government had procured the same at Rs. 1200 and Rs. 1300 per quintal.  

He said that the state government has also made several future schemes for the benefit of farmers. 

The State Government has made adequate arrangements to provide loans to farmers on easy instalments or to provide loans without interest and  Pashu Credit cards and insurance of animals etc for the livestock of farmers.

Besides this,  for the progressive farmers,  special facilities like  groups of 5 to 10 farmers have been made so that they can also encourage their counterparts and can get the benefit of their crops.  He said that constant efforts are also being made on how farmers can increase their income.

The Chief Minister said that it has always been noticed that whenever the BJP has gone ahead to do good work, all parties have behaved like this.  Giving an example, he said that if we talk about the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, it was delayed for 30 years when the Congress was in power. Whether it was the  Citizenship Amendment Act or the abolition of Article 370 the parties came together to oppose it.  All these parties feel that if any effective leadership comes in the country, then their motives will not be accomplished, he added.

The Chief Minister said that it is ironic that after the formation of the UPA government in the year 2010-11 when all the parties were talking about the Agricultural Reform Laws they could not implement it. However, now when Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi implemented the agricultural bill, it seems like they have forgotten what they were talking about.  The then Union Agriculture Minister in the UPA government, Mr. Sharad Pawar, tried to amend the APMC Act and wrote letters to the Chief Ministers of various states to implement it saying that if a state did not implement the Model APMC Act then their financial aid will be stopped. The petty politics being played by using the farmers is reprehensible.  People and farmers of the state should understand that there is no harm in the agricultural laws that have been brought for the progress of the farmers.  The Prime Minister of the country, has assured that the MSP will continue and farmers will not be allowed to face any kind of hardship.

He said that the farmers are our own people and we will always support them.