Ahead of the Assembly elections in Maharashtra scheduled later this year, a delegation of state ministers will soon meet Union Ministers to address a slew of farmers’ issues.

This was decided at a meeting chaired by Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar on Wednesday with farmer leader Ravikant Tupkar and various organisations, which raised serious concerns over the Centre’s ‘switch on and switch off’ policy on exports affecting the farmers, and made a strong case for allowing exports of cotton, soybean, onion and sugar and increase in the MSP for sugarcane.

“The state government is positive and sympathetic towards the various issues faced by the farmers. A delegation of state ministers will soon meet Union Cooperation Minister Amit Shah and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to discuss the pending subsidies and guaranteed price for agricultural commodities.

“The delegation will also urge the Centre not to ban onion exports. Proceedings for field wells, drip irrigation and distribution of orchards and irrigation subsidy are in progress. Electricity will be supplied for agriculture during the day and funds have been allocated to increase the number of agricultural pumps running on solar energy,” Pawar said.

The NCP leader also informed that funds have been allocated for the distribution of subsidy for agricultural implements under MahaDBT.

Pawar, who after the Lok Sabha elections had claimed that the Centre’s ban on exports of sugar and onion hit the MahaYuti’s poll prospects due to farmers’ anger, said that it is the role of the state and Central governments to ensure that the farmers get fair compensation for their produce.

“The Central government has expressed its desire to increase the guaranteed price for soybean and cotton, as well as allowing exports. A proposal to increase sugarcane MSP is under consideration. Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has taken a clear stand to stop cheating of farmers by insurance companies and its positive results will be seen soon,” Pawar said.

He also claimed that the Central government has decided not to ban onion export. On the same lines, export of soybean and cotton will also be allowed, he said.

“The central government is in favour of fair price for soybean and cotton. The loan accounts eligible for Mahatma Jotirao Phule Shetkari Debt Mukti Yojana have not been credited due to technical problems at the backend. The process of transferring the benefit amount to the farmers who received lesser amounts due to wrong information of the banks is in the final stages,” he said.

“The state government’s ambitious target of generating 11,500 MW solar energy will pave the way for agricultural pumps to get electricity during the day. The hurdles in offering benefits to the eligible beneficiaries deprived of loan waiver under the Mahatma Jotirao Phule Shetkari Samman Yojana will be removed by the end of September,” Pawar said.

On crop insurance, Pawar said the state government has held discussions with the Union Agriculture Minister, adding that after discussing with the representatives of the insurance companies, a solution will be found in the interests of the farmers.