Loan waiver, MSP law, crop insurance: Rahul Gandhi makes big promises for farmers ahead of LS polls

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said at a Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra rally in Maharashtra that when the Opposition bloc INDIA alliance comes to power, farmers will get loan waiver, guarantee of minimum support price (MSP) for crops, right price of crops. 

Gandhi also assured farmers of proper implementation of crop insurance schemes as well as goods and services tax (GST). 

“If a farmer is being hurt, then medicine will also have to be applied. Therefore, loan waiver, right price of crops, guarantee of MSP and proper implementation of crop insurance scheme and GST would be the right medicine,” he added. 

He said that today, farmers are not getting the right price for their crops and insurance money in case of crop loss. He added that the burden of GST has also been imposed on farmers. 

“Today, the farmers of the country are being surrounded from all sides. Farmers do not get the right price for their crops, do not get insurance money in case of crop loss and the burden of GST has also been imposed on them,” he said. 

Taking potshots at the current Narendra Modi-led Central government, the Gandhi sci0n said that a person cannot help the farmer unless they understand their plight and respect their hard work. He further said that the Congress government, when and if it comes to power, will be receptive to the concerns of the farmers. 

“The doors of the Congress government will always be open for farmers. There will be a government in Delhi that will listen to the voice of farmers,” Gandhi said. 

Meanwhile, senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh explained that the Congress will give legal status to MSP and the rate will be decided in keeping with the formula suggested by Swaminathan Commission. The grand old party said that a permanent Agricultural Loan Waiver Commission will be set up to waive off loans of farmers. 

The Commission will also determine the amount of loan waiver, Ramesh added. Changes will also be made to the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana to ensure direct bank payments for farmers within 30 days in case of crop loss, the senior Congress leader noted. 

He added that an import-export policy will also be implemented for agricultural products. Jairam Ramesh also said that GST will be amended to exempt goods used in agriculture.