CHANDIGARH: Farmers in Punjab on Tuesday claimed that the Union Budget, presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman “ignored” the farming sector and also remained silent on giving legal guarantee to minimum support price (MSP).Sitharaman on Tuesday announced a Rs 1. 52 lakh crore allocation for the agriculture and allied sectors in 2024-25, outlining a comprehensive plan to boost research, promote sustainable farming, enhance oilseed and pulse production and integrate technology in the agricultural landscape.In her Budget speech, Sitharaman emphasized the need for a thorough review of the agriculture research setup to enhance productivity and develop climate-resilient crop varieties.However, Kisan Mazdoor Morcha (KMM) leader Sarwan Singh Pandher, while reacting to the Budget, said that the farming sector has been “ignored” in the Budget.”There is neither anything about giving a legal guarantee to the MSP nor any farm loan waiver in the Budget,” said Pandher.Apart from this, there is no scheme in the Budget for the development of the agriculture sector, he said.”It is a directionless and disappointing Budget. It does not have any vision for the agriculture sector,” said Pandher.Samyukta Kisan Morcha (Non-Political) leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal said the Union government allocated Rs 1. 52 lakh crore for the agriculture sector which was just three per cent of the total budget size.Saying that the Centre has been “ignoring” the farming sector consistently, Dallewal said the share of the agriculture sector in the total budget should have been higher.The SKM (Non-Political) and KMM are spearheading the ‘Delhi Chalo’ march by farmers to press the government to accept their demands which include that the Centre should give a legal guarantee for MSP for crops.The protesting farmers have been staying put at the Shambhu and Khanauri border points between Punjab and Haryana since February 13 when their march was stopped by the security forces.Another farmer leader Harmeet Singh Kadian called the Union Budget a “flop budget” for the farmers.
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