State passes resolutions asking Centre for MSP and equal distribution of financial resources
Bengaluru, Feb 22: The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday passed resolutions urging the Centre to fix minimum support price for all crops, and to ensure equal distribution and non-discriminatory allocation of financial resources, condemning it for injustice in disbursing state's share of taxes and special grants.
The resolutions were met with uproar from the opposition benches led by the BJP.
"This house unanimously resolves to urge the central government to frame a legislation regarding fixation of minimum support price for all crops of farmers," the Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil read out the resolution in support of farmers.
The resolution was passed as farmers, particularly from Punjab and Haryana, march towards Delhi to press the union government for their demand for MSP on crops to sustain them.
Patil said this house insists on fulfilling their most justifiable demands without resorting to conflict with the farmers.
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It is the wish of every Indian farmer that a profitable price should be fixed for the crops grown by them. All pro-people democratic civilian governments insist on implementing this good ideal and making agriculture profitable, the government said in its resolution.
Agricultural scientist and policy advisor late Dr M S Swaminathan, whom the BJP government at the Centre is honouring with the highest civilian award Bharat Ratna, is quoted in the resolution.
Swaminathan had reported that governments have neither made any progress, nor brought any change at the expected level in achieving the 'Green Revolution' by announcing a minimum support price of 50 per cent of a farmer's cost of cultivation.
"It is inevitable for farmers across India to follow the path of movement, agitation and struggle, demanding guarantee of 'minimum support price for all agricultural produce and to fix the price of farmer's produce based on the recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee'," the resolution said.
The Congress government said that Karnataka has continued to support the adoption of pricing norms for commercial crops for other agricultural produce, with a view to making agriculture profitable by preserving the income of food providers who are an integral part of the nation's food supply and overall development of the economy.
"But in recent times, the actions of the central government have resulted as anti-farmer policy and have created a situation where the farmer does not get the minimum support price," the Karnataka government said in the resolution.
In its second resolution, the state government said it strongly condemns the injustice and pecuniary damage caused due to the unscientific GST system, reduction in tax share because of imposition of cess and surcharges, and non-disbursement of special and state-centric grants as recommended by the 15th Finance Commission.
The people of Karnataka have noticed that for the past one decade there have been many instances of bias in allocation of funds by the central government in providing grants recommended by finance commissions, sanctioning central share as per drought relief norms, the resolution said.
"Along with the idea that the underdeveloped and poor states shall get more funding, the central government is striking at the roots of progressive states like Karnataka by not following the principles of the federal system and by (doing) injustice to the states that have made the best progress," it explained.
Since 23 per cent of loss occurred in allocation of share by the 15th Finance Commission, compared to the previous Finance Commission, the state has recorded a loss of Rs 1,78,189 crores from 2017-18, the resolution said.
"This house hereby unanimously resolves to urge the central government to take strong stand of equal distribution and non-discriminatory allocation of financial resources in the interest of citizens, and that no injustice shall be done in the interest of the people of Karnataka as well as its development," the government said.
BJP MLAs created a major commotion over the two resolutions passed in the assembly, expressing their displeasure at the comments aimed at the union government led by their party.
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Pakistan reports two more polio cases; Total tally now 52
ISLAMABAD: At least two more cases of poliovirus were reported in Pakistan, taking the number of infections to 52 so far this year, a report said on Friday.
“The Regional Reference Laboratory for Polio Eradication at the National Institute of Health has confirmed the detection of two more wild poliovirus type 1 (WPV1) cases in Pakistan," an official statement said.
The fresh infections — a boy and a girl — were reported from the Dera Ismail Khan district of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa province.
“Genetic sequencing of the samples collected from the children is underway," the statement read. Dera Ismail Khan, one of the seven polio-endemic districts of southern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, has reported five polio cases so far this year.
Of the 52 cases in the country this year, 24 are from Balochistan, 13 from Sindh, 13 from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and one each from Punjab and Islamabad.
There is no cure for polio. Only multiple doses of the oral polio vaccine and completion of the routine vaccination schedule for all children under the age of five can keep them protected.
