Procurement Details:

• In the Rabi 2023-24 season, 6.41 LMT of pulses, valued at ₹4,820 crore, were procured from 2.75 lakh farmers. This included:
  • 2.49 LMT of Masoor
  • 43,000 metric tonnes of Chana
  • LMT of Moong
• In addition, 12.19 LMT of oilseeds, valued at ₹6,900 crore, were procured from 5.29 lakh farmers.
• In the ongoing Kharif season, the government has procured 5.62 LMT of Soyabean, valued at ₹2,700 crore, benefiting 2.42 lakh farmers.

• Ensuring fair prices for farmers by providing price support when market prices fall below the Minimum Support Price (MSP).
• Stabilize the prices of essential commodities, benefiting both farmers and consumers.
• Addressing price fluctuations and ensuring sustainable agricultural practices for crops like pulses, oilseeds, and copra.

• Type: Central Sector Scheme (Fully funded by the Centre).
• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare.
• Fund Allocation: Rs. 35,000 crore during the 15th Finance Commission Cycle (up to 2025-26).
• Central Nodal Agencies (CNA):
  • Guarantees to lender banks for extending cash credit facilities to agencies like NAFED (National Agricultural Co-operative Marketing Federation of India Limited) and NCCF (National Co-operative Consumer’s Federation of India Limited) for MSP procurement.
  • Department of Consumer Affairs (DoCA) will procure pulses at market price from pre-registered farmers on eSamridhi Portal of NAFED and eSamyukti Portal of NCCF when prices exceed MSP.

Key Components:

• Price Support Scheme (PSS):
• The PSS is the core component of PM-AASHA, operating through state governments to procure notified commodities at the Minimum Support Price (MSP) levels.
• It provides financial relief to farmers when market prices fall below MSP, offering remunerative prices and promoting investment in agriculture.
• The government fixes the MSP for 24 crops at 1.5 times the Cost of Production (CoP) to ensure a fair income for farmers.
• Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS):

• Under PDPS, farmers are provided direct payments if the market prices of oilseeds fall below the MSP.
• It helps bridge the gap between MSP and market prices, ensuring that farmers still get a fair return.
• Market Intervention Scheme (MIS):

• The MIS provides financial assistance to states for price stabilization of perishable agricultural commodities like Tomato, Onion, and Potato, which are not covered under MSP.
• This scheme helps manage price volatility and benefits both farmers and consumers by stabilizing prices.

PYQ:

[2020] In India, the term “Public Key Infrastructure” is used in the context of:

(a) Digital security infrastructure

(b) Food security infrastructure

(c) Health care and education infrastructure

(d) Telecommunication and transportation infrastructure