Patna: The Congress on Thursday hit out at the Bihar government for poor condition of farmers and launched a toll-free number on which they could share their problems for the party to take them up at appropriate forums.

"We have launched a toll-free number, 1800-100-7140, for the farmers at which they can tell us their problems. We will try our best to resolve them. Our party has always stood by farmers and thought about their welfare," said All India Congress Committee Bihar in-charge Shaktisinh Gohil.

Gohil added that the condition of agriculture and farmers is bad in the entire country but it was worse in Bihar, as they had not been able to sell their wheat crop harvested in the rabi season at the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 1,735 per quintal as fixed by the central government.

"This is the immediate reason behind the launch of our toll-free number. We appeal to farmers in distress to call on the number if they are stuck with their wheat crop and are unable to sell it at the MSP. We will compile a list of such farmers and take it up with the state government to ensure that their produce fetches at least the MSP," Gohil said.

The Congress leader, who hails from Gujarat, was speaking at the Bihar Pradesh Congress Committee headquarters at Sadaquat Ashram here.

The toll free number gives a crisply recorded message in Kaukab's voice, appealing to the farmers to narrate their grievance in short. The farmer's message will be recorded and will be accessed later by Congress leaders for suitable action.

The AICC Bihar-in-charge said the Congress was preparing a blueprint for the state's welfare and a dedicated portal for farmers, who could lodge their issues. The problems will be taken up with government authorities. He said agricultural experts will also be engaged to provide proper advice to them.

Gohil said farmers in Bihar were unable to sell their rabi crop at the MSP, forcing them to sell at throwaway prices of Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,400 per quintal to middlemen. This has led to a situation in which the middlemen are reaping huge profits by selling the bought wheat to the government at the MSP.

The Congress leader also quoted the central government's socio economic review to tell that the low level of wholesale market prices and MSP were alarming and hit out at the central government for not keeping its poll promise to provide the MSP to farmers, 50 per cent above the input costs.

"The MSP rose by 32 per cent during the UPA regime but did not increase any after 2014 when Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his BJP formed the government at the Centre," Gohil added.