New Delhi

The quantum increase in minimum support price of Kharif crops is another important step towards doubling the farm income, BJP President Amit Shah today said, hailing the pro-farmer and pro-poor initiatives of the Narendra Modi government.

He said the economic policies of the Modi government have helped India emerge as the fastest growing major economy of the world. India, he said, is being viewed as the favourite FDI destination and this was the result of the Modi government’s “good and transparent” governance.

“The unprecedented increase in minimum support price (MSP) of Kharif crops by the NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is another important step towards doubling of farm income and a gift to farmers. BJP welcomes this step for farmer welfare and lauds the Prime Minister on behalf of crores of farming families,” he said in a statement.

Shah said this step of the government will help increase production of pulses, which in turn will help reduce dependence on imports and will save valuable foreign exchange.

The various steps taken by the Modi government in the last two years for the welfare of farmers and making them prosperous and self-reliant is a matter of pride for 125 crore Indians, he said, listing out steps for protecting the interests of farmers at WTO and reducing farm cost inputs.

“Working for the welfare of the country and society without stopping and helping connect people who have been left out of the growth process with the mainstream are the objectives of the government…Modi government has shown in the last two years how a government can run transparently, free from corruption, and work for the welfare of the poor,” he said.

Lauding the economic measures undertaken by the Modi government, he said, “Despite the global slowdown, the steps taken by India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi have set new benchmarks in growth which have surprised the world…This is the result of the good governance of Modi government.”

The BJP chief said India achieved a growth rate of 7.9 per cent in the last quarter of 2015-16 which is the highest in the last few years.

“At international level, this growth rate is much more than that of China, America, Russia and Brazil. India is also far ahead of other nations in FDI inflows. In 2013, India was ranked 15th in the world in FDI inflows and 9th in 2014, while it was at the first spot in 2015. India has even left behind China in attracting FDI in 2015,” he said.

Shah said India has now become the fastest growing economy in the world and, with FDI inflow of 63 billion USD, it is fast becoming a major investment destination.PTI