Committee on MSP holds broad discussion on key issues in first meeting but SKM skips
New Delhi, Aug 22: The committee on Minimum Support Price (MSP) had a broad discussion on the mandated topics including making "MSP more effective and transparent" in its first meeting on Monday but Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) remained absent.
The committee, headed by former agriculture secretary Sanjay Agrawal, discussed on ways to "promote zero budget based farming", to "change" crop patterns keeping in mind the changing needs of the country, and to make MSP more "effective and transparent".
There are 26 members including the chairman of the committee and three membership slots kept aside for representatives of SKM.
"A presentation was given on three topics which the committee is required to examine and recommend. What and how it needs to be done, which state government has done better so far and the successful models and learning -- were discussed," the committee member Binod Anand told PTI.
Anand, who is holding the charge of general secretary at farmers' group CNRI, said SKM representatives however were not present in the day-long meeting. Niti Aayog member Ramesh was also not present due to other engagements.
SKM, which necessitated setting up of this committee on July 18 after leading the farmers' protest against three farm laws and forcing the government to repeal them, has already rejected this committee and decided not to nominate its representatives.
While announcing the repeal of three farm laws in November last year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had promised to set up a committee to look into farmers' MSP issues.
Other members who attended the meeting include: agri-economists CSC Shekhar from Indian Institute of Economic Development and Sukhpal Singh from IIM-Ahmedabad and Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) senior member Naveen P Singh.
Among farmer representatives who attended the meeting were National award-winning farmer Bharat Bhushan Tyagi as well as Gunwant Patil, Krishnaveer Choudhary, Pramod Kumar Choudhary, Guni Prakash and Sayyed Pasha Patel. IFFCO chairman Dilip Sanghani was present.
Senior members of agricultural universities, central government secretaries and chief secretaries of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, Sikkim and Odisha were also present in the meeting.
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Surveillance intensified in Bengal border districts as killers of Suvendu's PA may flee out of state
Kolkata (PTI): Police stations in border districts of West Bengal intensified surveillance and searches as investigators suspect the involvement of professional shooters from neighbouring states in the killing of BJP leader Suvendu Adhikari's close aide, a senior officer said on Friday.
The police are also investigating the role of local criminals who might have provided logistical support to the assailants, he said.
More than 36 hours after Adhikari's personal assistant Chandranath Rath was assassinated by motorcycle-borne gunmen at Madhyamgram in North 24 Parganas district, the police are yet to make any arrest.
“A detailed investigation is underway. The manner in which the attack was carried out suggests extensive reconnaissance and the possible involvement of hired sharpshooters from outside the state,” a senior police officer told PTI.
He also said all police stations in border districts have been alerted.
"Checks are being carried out at multiple points, and CCTV footage from areas along Jessore Road is being thoroughly scanned,” another senior officer said.
According to probe findings, the gunmen allegedly followed Rath’s vehicle before launching the attack.
“The escape route of the gunmen indicates that they were familiar with the locality, or local criminals might have assisted them. Without local support, fleeing through the lanes so quickly would have been difficult,” the officer added.
The police, however, are yet to ascertain the motive behind the murder.
The police and detective department officers have launched extensive searches in and around Madhyamgram near Kolkata.
Heavy deployment of police and central forces has also been made in the area since the murder occurred on Wednesday night.
"A motorcycle used in the crime was registered in 2012 in the name of a resident of Burnpur in Asansol. However, the police found that no person by that name currently resides at the address given during the vehicle registration process," another officer said.
