Himachal Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur has thanked the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for increasing the minimum support prices (MSP) of all mandated Kharif crops for marketing season 2021-22.

The decision in this regard was taken by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs chaired by the Prime Minister at New Delhi.

The Chief Minister said that the decision has been taken by the Union Government to ensure remunerative prices to the farmers for their produce.

He said that the MSP for paddy has been increased from last year's Rs 1868 per quintal to Rs 1940 whereas for A grade paddy it has been increased from Rs 1888 to Rs 1960.

Thakur said that MSP for maize has been enhanced from Rs 1850 to Rs 1870. Concerted efforts were made over the last few years to realign the MSPs in favour of all seeds, pulses and coarse cereals to encourage farmers shift to larger areas under these crops and adopt best technologies and farm practices to correct demand-supply imbalance, he said.

The Chief Minister said that the Central Government is committed for welfare of the farming community and several schemes have been launched for their socio-economic upliftment.

Rs 6000 per year were being provided to the eligible farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna.  9,26,963 eligible farmers of the state were being benefitted under this Yojna, he added.

Thakur further said that the Union Government has also decided to provide free ration to the eligible families under the Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Anna Yojna till November this year.

He said that over 28 lakh people of the state would benefit under this scheme.