Bhagwant Mann: The Punjab government, led by Bhagwant Mann, has strongly criticised the Centre over the recent hike in petrol and diesel prices alongside a marginal increase in Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy. The state government has termed this policy move as unfair to farmers and a direct blow to their income stability.
Strong Reaction From Punjab Government
The Bhagwant Mann government stated that increasing fuel prices while offering only a small MSP hike puts additional financial burden on farmers. Since agriculture is highly dependent on diesel for irrigation, transport, and farming activities, any fuel price rise directly impacts production costs. Officials argued that such decisions reduce the real benefit of MSP and fail to provide meaningful support to the farming community.
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Bhagwant Mann: Concerns Over Farmers’ Income
According to the government’s stance, the marginal MSP increase of ₹72 per quintal on paddy is not sufficient to compensate for rising input costs. With diesel, fertilisers, and transport expenses increasing, farmers are left with reduced profit margins.The state leadership highlighted that this combination of fuel inflation and low MSP revision effectively weakens farmers’ earnings instead of strengthening them.
Political Criticism of Centre’s Policy
Bhagwant Mann and his government have accused the Centre of ignoring ground realities faced by farmers. They claim that policy decisions are not aligned with agricultural costs and rural economic conditions.The state government has called for more balanced policies that ensure fair pricing and genuine income protection for farmers.
