The decision to raise MSP for kharif crops was taken by cabinet.

As per the revision, MSP for paddy (common variety) would now be Rs 490 a quintal, an increase of Rs 50 over rates fixed last year.

MSP for grade one paddy has also been raised by Rs 50 to Rs 520 per quintal, while MSP for jowar, bajra, maize and ragi has been increased to Rs 415 a quintal up from Rs 390 fixed last year.

The highest increase in MSP has been for pulses. MSP for tur, moong and urad has been fixed at Rs 1105 a qunital, up by Rs 145 from last year.

MSP for groundnut shell has been increased to Rs 1155 a quintal, a rise of Rs 115 from last year.

While MSP for soyabean (black) has been fixed at Rs 755 a quintal, that for soyabean (yellow) at Rs 845. The rise in MSP for both of these is Rs 50.

For sunflower seeds, MSP has been increased by Rs 95 aquintal to Rs 1155 and for seasum by Rs 145 to Rs 1205.

MSP for niger seed has gone up by Rs 65 to Rs 915.

For cotton f-414, h-777 amd j-34 varieties, the MSP has been fixed at Rs 1575 a quintal, up by Rs 135 from last year and for h-4 variety it would be Rs 1775, a rise of Rs 125 per quintal.

Information and broadcasting minister Pramod Mahajan told reporters after the cabinet meeting that the government had taken the decision since the MSP was normally announced just before the sowing season and for the last five years it had been announced between July and August.

To a question he said the government had not discussed the matter with the Election Commission. ``I don't think the Election Commission will find anything objectionable in the decision,'' he added.

Although the decision was announced now, the payment on account of procurement would begin only in October.

He said the decision was taken in line with the recommendation of the Agricultural Costs and Price Commission.

However, thecabinet has rejected the recommendation of the commission that MSP should be fixed Rs 25 higher for the farmers who paid for electricity bills incurred for using agricultural pump sets.