Ahead of Polls, Shivraj Govt Announces Rs 859 Crore Aid to Onion, Garlic Farmers in Madhya Pradesh

Mandsaur: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has announced a dispensation of Rs 859 crore for onion and garlic farmers in the Mandsaur-Suwasra region, in an effort to help them to recover from the hefty losses incurred due to depreciating prices.

The state government had earlier announced Rs 800 crore per quintal to garlic farmers and Rs 400 crore per quintal to onion growers, said the chief minister, before announcing an aid of Rs 859 crore to the farmers in Mandsaur, Neemuch and Ratlam.

CM Chouhan made the announcement while addressing a gathering in the Mandsaur-Suwasra region, which is the only Congress bastion in the BJP-ruled state.

“In total, I have paid over Rs 32,700 crore to the farmers in a year under various schemes. Besides, the government will allocate Rs 1662 crore to irrigation projects in the region,” Chouhan said.

Claiming Madhya Pradesh to be the only state to procure wheat at Rs 2,000 per quintal under the government’s assistance, the CM promised farmers 50% profit returns on input cost, a long standing demand of the agitated farmers.

“We have revised the MSP, but if there is any shortfall, the government would make up for it,” said Chouhan, lauding PM Modi for the move.

Apart from doling out election sops, Chouhan lashed out at the Congress for fueling anarchy and mocked the party for not caring for the farmer community in its 50 years of rule.

In 2016, Mandsaur had turned into the hub of farmers’ agitation after five farmers were killed in police firing during a stir in 2016.