A.P., Punjab, Haryana CMs to meet PM

By Our Staff Correspondent

CHANDIGARH, AUG. 8. The Chief Ministers of the major paddy- growing States - Punjab, Haryana and Andhra Pradesh - will jointly call on the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, in New Delhi on Thursday to impress upon him the need to announce a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy.

This was disclosed by the Punjab Chief Minister, Mr. Parkash Singh Badal, here today. Avoiding questions on the MSP his Government would seek, he said efforts would be made to protect farmers' interests.

The joint visit assumes significance with the oncoming paddy harvest season. Andhra Pradesh has been complaining that the Centre was meting out discriminatory treatment in relaxing conditions in favour of Punjab and Haryana at the expense of other paddy-growing States.

Sources said the present political leadership was not satisfied with the proposed Rs. 10 per quintal increase in the MSP of paddy as advised by the Agriculture Prices Commission last year. Moreover, there is confusion regarding the possibility of a limited role for the Food Corporation of India in paddy procurement.

With this being the election year in Punjab, ``proper'' paddy procurement has become a major political issue for the ruling SAD-BJP alliance, and particularly for Mr. Badal.

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