June 21st 2024.
In a virtual meeting at Krishi Bhawan, Union Minister of Agriculture Shivraj Singh Chouhan reassured the states that the Centre is fully committed to procuring 100% of Tur, Urad, and Masur produced by farmers at Minimum Support Prices. This initiative aims to promote crop diversification and achieve self-sufficiency in the production of pulses. Chouhan also highlighted the launch of the e-Samridhi portal, in collaboration with the National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd. and National Cooperative Consumers' Federation of India Limited, for the registration of farmers. He urged state governments to encourage more farmers to register on the portal to avail the benefits of assured procurement.
During the meeting, Chouhan also introduced the new Model Pulses Village scheme, which will be implemented from the current Kharif season. He urged state governments to utilize fallow lands after the rice crop is harvested to grow pulses. Chouhan emphasized the need for inter-cropping of Tur and urged state governments to share their best practices with each other through interstate visits. He also encouraged the active involvement of elected representatives, such as MPs and MLAs, in the Krishi Vigyan Kendras.
Chouhan stressed the importance of crop diversification towards cash crops and the need to restore soil fertility. He also highlighted the significance of providing timely and quality inputs to farmers, such as good quality seeds, to increase productivity. The meeting was called to prioritize the increase in the production of pulses in the country, with the aim of reducing imports. Chouhan informed state ministers about the government's initiative of opening 150 Pulse Seed Hubs and providing Cluster Front Line Demonstrations through the ICAR to make high-quality seeds available in low productivity districts. He also stressed the need to develop climate-resilient and short-duration varieties to combat the effects of climate change.
Chouhan urged state governments to strengthen their seed delivery systems by strengthening their State Seed Corporations. Agriculture Ministers from major pulses-producing states, such as Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Gujarat, Karnataka, Bihar, and Telangana, were present at the meeting. They appreciated the Centre's efforts through the National Food Security Mission and assured full cooperation. The states also recognized the need to increase the distribution of high-yielding varieties of seeds and the urgency to increase the area under pulses.
The Union Minister assured all the support to states and invited all state agriculture ministers to Delhi for a detailed meeting to discuss the current agriculture scenario and any issues collectively. Union Ministers of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare, Ram Nath Thakur and Bhagirath Chaudhary, Agriculture Secretary Manoj Ahuja, and Secretary of the Department of Agricultural Research and Education and Director-General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Himanshu Pathak, were also present at the meeting. The state ministers expressed their appreciation for the meeting and the targets set by the Central government, which they believe can be achieved with the predicted above-normal monsoon.
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