Pradhan Mantri ANNADATA AAY SANRAKSHAN Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)

Why in News?

  • Giving a major boost to the pro-farmer initiatives of the Government and in keeping with its commitment and dedication for the Annadata, the Union Cabinet has approved a new Umbrella Scheme “Pradhan MantriAnnadataAaySanrakshanAbhiyan’ (PM-AASHA).

Why such Scheme?

  • Increasing MSP is not adequate and it is more important that farmers should get full benefit of the announced MSP.
  • For this, government realizes that it is essential that if price of the agriculture produce market is less than MSP, then govt. should purchase either at MSP or work in a manner to provide MSP for the farmers through some other mechanism.

PM-AASHA:

  • The Scheme is aimed at ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers for their produce as announced in the Union Budget for 2018.
  • Government has already increased the MSP of kharif crops by following the principle of 1.5 times the cost of production.
  • It is expected that the increase in MSP will be translated to farmer’s income by way of robust procurement mechanism in coordination with the State Governments.
  • The new Umbrella Scheme includes the mechanism of ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers and is comprised of-
  • Price Support Scheme (PSS),
  • Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS)
  • Pilot of Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPPS).
  • The other existing schemes of Department of Food and Public Distribution (DFPD) for procurement of paddy, wheat and nutri-cereals/coarse grains and of Ministry of Textile for cotton and jute will be continued for providing MSP to farmers for these crops.

Pilot of Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPPS):

  • Cabinet has decided that for oilseeds, states have the option to roll out Private Procurement Stockist Scheme (PPSS) on pilot basis in selected district/APMC(s) of district involving the participation of private stockiest.
  • The pilots district/selected APMC(s) of district will cover one or more crop of oilseeds for which MSP is notified.
  • Since this is akin to PSS, in that in involves physical procurement of the notified commodity, it shall substitute PSS/PDPS in the pilot districts.
  • The selected private agency shall procure the commodity at MSP in the notified markets during the notified period from the registered farmers in consonance with the PPSS Guidelines.
  • But whenever the prices in the market fall below the notified MSP maximum service charges up to 15% of the notified MSP will be payable.

Price Support Scheme (PSS):

  • In Price Support Scheme (PSS), physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds and Copra will be done by Central Nodal Agencies with proactive role of State governments.
  • It is also decided that in addition to NAFED, Food Cooperation of India (FCI) will take up PSS operations in states /districts.
  • The procurement expenditure and losses due to procurement will be borne by Central Government as per norms.

Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS):

  • Under PDPS it is proposed to cover all oilseeds for which MSP is notified.
  • In this direct payment of the difference between the MSP and the selling/modal price will be made to pre-registered farmers selling his produce in the notified market yard through a transparent auction process.
  • All payment will be done directly into registered bank account of the farmer.
  • This scheme does not involve any physical procurement of crops as farmers are paid the difference between the MSP price and Sale/modal price on disposal in notified market.
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