Chennai: Asserting that the Union government’s recent circular barring state governments from providing incentives to farmers for procuring paddy will not affect Tamil Nadu, Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa assured the House that her government would continue to give incentives of Rs 70 in addition to the MSP of Rs 1,400 for normal paddy and Rs 50 over MSP of Rs 1,350 for special variety of paddy this fiscal too.
“The circular (dated June 12) will not affect Tamil Nadu, since the state has already procured 23.81 lakh metric tons paddy, including 16.1 lakh MT rice against the entitled allotment of 35.58 lakh MT rice and 52.32 lakh MT paddy under various schemes,” she said while replying to a special call attention motion of various opposition parties in the House on Wednesday.
The state government would give incentive of Rs 70 in addition to MSP of Rs 1,400) and Rs 50 (in addition to MSP of Rs 1,350) for normal and special varieties of paddy, respectively, this fiscal.
In its circular to the states, the ministry of consumer affairs, food and public distribution barred the state governments from providing incentives, in addition to the MSP for procuring paddy from farmers.
Accusing DMK chief M. Karunanidhi of causing “needless tension” among farmers in delta districts, Ms Jayalalithaa said keeping the farmer’s interests in mind, last year her government gave Rs 70 and Rs 50 as incentives over and above the MSP of Rs 1,345 and Rs 1,310 per quintal fixed by the Central government for fine and ordinary varieties respectively.
