Arvind Kejriwal promises loan waiver and higher MSP for farmers in Gujarat

The AAP leader was campaigning for the year-end Assembly election in the BJP-ruled State.

Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convener Arvind Kejriwal on Friday announced a series of pre-poll “guarantees” for farmers, including waiver of farm loans, if his party was voted to power in Gujarat as he stepped up campaigning for the year-end Assembly election in the BJP-ruled State.

On a two-day campaign in the Saurashtra region, Mr. Kejriwal said his party, if voted to power, would also create a mechanism to buy farm produce from farmers on Minimum Support Price (MSP) which would be higher than the market price of the produce. 

Addressing a rally in Dwarka, the AAP leader promised to conduct a fresh land survey as farmers complained about irregularities with the one conducted recently by the BJP government. 

He also reiterated the assurance of best education and healthcare services, free electricity and other sops he had announced earlier. 

On Friday, in a bid to woo farmers in politically important Saurashtra region which is a coastal agrarian belt, Mr. Kejriwal promised farm loan waiver up to ₹two lakh and higher MSP and minimum 12 hours of power supply for irrigation to the farmers. 

“Though MSP is announced every year, farm produce is not sold at that price. It is my guarantee that our government will buy at MSP if farmers do not find any other buyer who is willing to buy their produce at MSP,” Mr. Kejriwal told farmers in the rally. 

According to him, in the beginning, five crops — wheat, paddy, cotton, chana and groundnut — will be covered under the ‘buy at MSP’ programme and then more commodities will be added to the list going forward.