MSP tha, MSP hai aur MSP rahega: PM Modi in Rajya Sabha

New Delhi: 'MSP (Minimum Support Price) tha, MSP hai aur MSP rahega' (MSP was there, MSP is there, MSP will remain in the future) said Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Rajya Sabha on Monday amid the ongoing farmers' protests against the Centre's contentious farm laws.

PM Modi also said that the need of the hour is to improve the lives of the country's small farmers and the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) initiated changes in the agriculture sector since 2014.

"Since 2014 we have initiated changes in the agriculture sector aimed at empowering the farmer. The crop insurance scheme was changed to make it more farmer-friendly. The PM-KISAN scheme was also brought in. We are working for the small farmers," said the Prime Minister while replying to the motion of thanks on the President's address in the Rajya Sabha.

"MSP was there. MSP is there. MSP will remain in the future. Affordable ration for the poor will continue and Mandis will be modernised," the Prime Minister added.

The PM further said that other schemes, like the Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), also helped farmers in different ways.

"NDA's other schemes also help farmers. For example- the PMGSY. When the road connectivity improves, it enables the produce of the farmers to reach distant places. There are efforts like Kisan Rail too. The need of the hour is to improve the lives of the small farmers," he said.