4 years on, MSP committee has no report to show, but Rs 53 lakh spent

Nearly four years after Prime Minister Narendra Modi promised a committee to make the Minimum Support Price (MSP) more effective and transparent, the panel has not submitted a single report — even as it has spent almost Rs 54 lakh and held dozens of meetings whose proceedings have not been disclosed in RTI replies.

The committee has held 6 meetings and 42 meetings via sub-committees since its formation on July 18, 2022. The most recent meeting was held on May 14 this year. The CPIO declined to share the minutes of any meeting, saying the proceedings were confidential and attended only by the chairman and members, according to a reply received from the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare in May.

The CPIO put total spending at Rs 53,97,280 up to May 17, with a single meeting on April 2 costing Rs 62,380.

Three farm bills, introduced in the Lok Sabha in June 2020 and pitched as a means to raise farmers’ incomes, triggered widespread agitation, with protesters demanding a legal guarantee for MSP. As the protests escalated, PM Modi announced in November 2021 that the three laws would be repealed. The committee followed the next year. It was meant to promote natural farming, change cropping patterns, and make MSP more effective and transparent. 

It has 27 members apart from chairperson Sanjay Agarwal, who did not respond to a questionnaire.

Newslaundry has earlier reported on the panel and previous RTI replies here.

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