NEW DELHI: In a bid to mollify the agitating farmers in poll-bound Haryana, chief minister Nayab Singh Saini on Sunday announced the procurement of all crops in the state at the minimum support price (MSP) and the waiver of Rs 133 crores in outstanding canal water irrigation charges. The move is being viewed as a political dole to win over the farmers after the drubbing the BJP received in the state during the 2024 parliamentary polls.With the announcement, Haryana becomes the first and only state to procure all the crops at MSP and the Saini government has launched its campaign for the year-end Assembly elections.Addressing the party’s “Vijay Shankhnad” rally in Kurukshetra, Mr Saini said the BJP government in the state is currently procuring 14 crops at MSP. “I am happy to state that during the last 10 years, the Haryana government purchased 14 crops at MSP. Today, we have included the remaining 10 crops. Now, all crops in Haryana will be bought at MSP by our government.”In his address, Mr Saini said the state government has also waived the outstanding “abiana” (canal water for irrigation) charge of Rs 133 crores. It will benefit farmers to the tune of Rs 54 crores per annum. He also announced the payment of pending compensation of Rs 137 crores within a week to farmers who suffered crop damage because of natural calamities in Rohtak, Nuh, Fatehabad and Sirsa before 2023. This amount will be transferred to the accounts of the farmers.Among those present at the rally were Union minister Dharmendra Pradhan, who is also the BJP election in-charge of the state, Union ministers Manohar Lal Khattar and Krishan Pal Gurjar and former minister Kiran Choudhary.In the run up to the Haryana polls, the Vijay Shankhnad rally, BJP sources said, will be organised in all the 90 Assembly segments to inform the people about the development and welfare work done during the last 10 years of the BJP rule. The rally will also expose the 10 years of “misrule” of the Congress government under Bhupinder Singh Hooda.Taking a dig at Congress over factionalism within the state unit, Mr Saini said Mr Hooda and his MP son Deepender Hooda are trying to become “chaudhary” of their outfit. He said, “All the BJP leaders, including Mr Khattar and Mr Gujjar, are ready to work in Haryana under Nayab Singh Saini, but will Congress leaders like Kumari Selja and Randeep Singh Surjewala accept the leadership of the Hoodas?”
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