Farmers and businessmen cannot be treated differently: Paswan
New Delhi, July 3: Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Tuesday said there cannot be two different policies for farmers and businessman even as he demanded assured 50 per cent profit for agricultural commodities.
"Nobody knows the production cost of cars and the profit margin by the companies. Farmers cannot decide the production cost of their crops. Farmers should get Minimum Support Price (MSP) of 1.5 times the input cost. It should be neither less nor more," Paswan, the chief of the Lok Janshakti Party, told reporters on the sidelines of National Executive of his party's farmer cell.
He welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent announcement of 50 per cent profit to the notified crop produce.
"(A) Policy decision has been taken to double farmers' income and MSP of 1.5 times (the input cost). A committee is working on it (price fixation)," said Paswan, but refused to divulge much about the formula to be used to fix the MSP.
To a query on anticipated impact of higher MSP on inflation, he asked why only this issue was being raised when there was silence on the rising prices of other commodities.
"Is there anything that has not become costly? Be it cars or houses. However, the crop prices have been stagnant in last five years," he said, adding that the government will take care of the expenditure on higher MSP.
Paswan also said that the government was "aware" of the delay in paying claims under crop insurance schemes by private insurance companies.
"We are alert this time," he said.
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Sanju Samson ton guides India to 61-run win over South Africa
Durban, Nov 8: Sanju Samson scored a scintillating century as India inflicted a 61-run defeat on South Africa in the first T20I here on Friday.
Invited to bat, Samson blazed away to 107 off 50 balls, hitting as many as 10 sixes and seven fours to help India post 202 for 8.
The spin duo of Varun Chakaravarthy (3/25) and Ravi Bishnoi (3/28) then shared six wickets between them to bowl out South Africa for 141 in 17.5 overs.
Earlier, Samson became the first Indian to score back-to-back centuries in T20Is.
The opener notched his second T20I hundred off just 47 balls. His first had come in India's last outing against Bangladesh last month.
However, South Africa clawed their way back into the game as they stemmed the flow of runs by picking wickets in the last five overs.
Pacer Gerald Coetzee who claimed three wickets was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts.
Brief Scores:
India: 202 for 8 in 20 overs (Sanju Samson 107, Tilak Verma 33; Gerald Coetzee 3/37)
South Africa: 141 all out in 17.5 overs (Heinrich Klaasen 25; Varun Chakaravarthy 3/25, Ravi Bishnoi 3/28)
