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In a respite to farmers in the top wheat growing states of Punjab and Uttar Pradesh, the union cabinet on 15 November 2016 approved a modest 6.6% hike of Rs100 per quintal in the MSP (minimum support price) of wheat, the main spring harvest for which planting has begun. The government also decided to present the Union budget for 2017-18 on 1 February, instead of on the last working day of the month as has been the practice, in order to speed up the implementation of various schemes from the beginning of the financial year.