Mumbai: My tenure as Union agriculture minister saw rise in MSPs, says Sharad Pawar

Sharad Pawar also stated that some key initiatives during his tenure led to the rise in crop production

On Saturday, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar stated that the minimum support prices (MSPs) for food grains increased during his tenure as Union agriculture minister. Pawar also stated that some key initiatives during his tenure led to the rise in crop production.

Sharad Pawar was responding to the jibe taken on him by Prime Minister Narendra Modi while addressing a public event in Shirdi this week.

During his Maharashtra tour this week, PM modi said, "Some people in Maharashtra only did politics in the name of farmers. A senior leader of Maharashtra served as the country's agriculture minister. I personally respect him, but what has he done for farmers."

NCP chief Sharad Pawar served as the Union agriculture minister when the Congress-led UPA government was in office at the Centre (2004-14). PM Modi also said when Pawar was the Union agriculture minister, farmers were at the mercy of middlemen.

The NCP chief Pawar stated that when he took charge as the agriculture minister in 2004, there was a shortage of food grains in the country.

While speaking to the media during the press conference in Mumbai, Pawar said the MSP for rice was "Rs 550 in 2004 which rose to Rs 1,310 by 2014, registering a growth of 168 per cent".

The NCP leader said he undertook several ambitious initiatives for the National Horticulture Mission. He said the 'Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana' transformed the agriculture sector.

Earlier, NCP leader and MP Supriya Sule, who is daughter of Sharad Pawar, reacted to the PM questioning Pawar's contribution to the farming community. Sule had stated that it was the Narendra Modi government that had given Padma Vibhushan, the country's second highest civilian award, for his work in the agriculture sector.

Meanwhile, speaking about the the upcoming state assembly elections in various states, the NCP chief said that the situation is not in favour of the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"In the five assembly elections, I am seeing a picture against BJP. I can't say that everywhere governments will change," Pawar said.

(with inputs from news agencies)

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