Hooda writes to PM, seeks bonus on wheat's MSP

Rohtak, May 1. Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today urged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to provide a bonus on minimum support price of wheat to the farmers. Hooda in a letter to the Prime Minister made the request for bonus on MSP of wheat as he believed it was in the interest of the farmers in Haryana. In an interaction with media persons here, he expressed the optimism that PM would act upon the suggestions made in the letter. He hailed the decision of the UPA Government to scrap wealth tax on farmland as a major decision in favour of the farmers and said that he had expressed his gratitude to the UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, the Prime Minister and Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram. Describing it as a "historic decision", he said it had become amply clear that the interests of the farmers were completely safe in the hands of the Congress Government. Hooda said after this issue was raised, a large delegation of Congress leaders from various states met the Chidambaram and apprised him its adverse impact on the farming community. The Chief Minister said that he had recommended reduction in the interest on short-term loans for fertilisers and seeds from 11 per cent to four per cent. "After commencement of the Horticulture Mission, we urged the Union Government to start livestock mission which has since been implemented, giving the farmers the benefit of the crop insurance scheme", Hooda added. Extending his best wishes to the labours on the occasion of Labour day today, he said that Haryana have scripted and implemented a labour policy. He said that Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi would meet all MPs, MLAs, legislators, former legislators and party officials of the state on May 8 at Panchkula.