Photo: Ajit Pawar/ X

Pune: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, on Wednesday, in a meeting held in Mantralaya with farmer representatives laid down important announcements. He stated that the stance of both the state and Central governments is that farmers should receive appropriate compensation for their crops.

The Central government has expressed its willingness to increase the minimum support price (MSP) for soybeans and cotton and to permit their export. A proposal to increase the MSP for sugarcane is under consideration. To stop the fraud happening to farmers by insurance companies, central Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has taken a strict stance, and its positive effects will soon be seen. With the state targeting the production of 11,500 megawatts of solar energy, the path for agricultural pumps to receive daytime electricity will be cleared. The obstacles preventing eligible beneficiaries under the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Farmer Loan Waiver Scheme from receiving debt waiver benefits will be resolved by the end of September. A delegation of state ministers will meet with Central marketing, cooperation, and agriculture ministers to address farmers' demands and pending issues, Pawar said.

A meeting to discuss issues of farmers and farm laborers in the state was chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.

The meeting was attended by state Cooperation Minister Dilip Walse Patil, Marketing Minister Abdul Sattar, Relief and Rehabilitation Minister Anil Patil, Additional Chief Secretary of the Planning Department Dr. Rajgopal Deora, Additional Chief Secretary of the Finance Department O.P. Gupta, Additional Chief Secretary of the Energy Department Abha Shukla, Principal Secretary of the Finance Department Saurabh Vijay, Principal Secretary of the Relief and Rehabilitation Department Sonia Sethi, Principal Secretary Ranjit Singh Deol, Agriculture Secretary Jayshree Bhoj, along with farmer leader Ravikant Tupkar and representatives from farmer organizations.

The Central government has decided not to impose a ban on onion exports. Similarly, permission will also be granted for the export of soybeans and cotton. Efforts are being made to ensure that soybeans and cotton receive fair prices, with positive indications from the central government. The process to transfer funds to eligible loan accounts under the Mahatma Jyotirao Phule Farmer Loan Waiver Scheme, which faced technical issues at the bank level, is in its final stage. Those farmers who received lesser amounts due to incorrect information from the bank are being reviewed, and the benefit amounts will be transferred to their accounts. Discussions have taken place with the central Agriculture Minister regarding crop insurance. Talks with representatives from insurance companies will be held to reach a farmer-friendly solution. Surveys are being conducted for damage caused by heavy rains to crops and farmland during the Kharif season this year. Every effort is being made to ensure that no affected farmer is left without assistance, Ajit Pawar said.

The state government is positive on various issues related to farmers. Discussions will be held with central Cooperation Minister Amit Shah and central Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan regarding pending agricultural subsidies, minimum support prices for agricultural products, the onion export ban, and other related issues, as stated by Pawar. The process of distributing subsidies for farm wells, drip and sprinkler irrigation, fruit orchards, and irrigation is underway. Daytime electricity supply will be provided for farming, and funds have been allocated to increase the number of agricultural pumps powered by solar energy. Funds have also been allocated for the distribution of agricultural equipment subsidies under MahaDBT, Pawar informed the meeting.