Measure to Increase Availability of Pulses
In order to increase the availability of pulses, especially for the people living under the low poverty line, the government has resumed import of pulses through State Governments for distribution under Public Distribution System.
The center will provide subsidy for this import to the states. The thrust of the scheme is to make pulses available to the BPL card holders at least one kg. per month. An increase availability of pulses would also have a controlling effect on prices.
Imported subsidized pulses will also be provided to youth hostels, homes for poor and other such institutions which house people belonging to low income groups in large numbers.
Besides this the center has taken a number of steps recently to control prices of pulses which include-
· Reduced import duties to zero for pulses.
· Banned export of pulses (except Kabuli chana and organic pulses and lentils up to a maximum of 10000 tones per annum).
· Imposed stock limits from time to time in the case of pulses.
· Suspended Futures trading in urad and tur.
Several measures have also been taken to increase domestic supply of pulses. The National Food Security Mission (NFSM)-Pulses is under implementation in 468 districts. The Accelerated Pulses Production Programme (A3P) has been launched under the NFSM-Pulses from Kharif 2012 for demonstration of production and protection technologies on village level compact Blocks for enhanced production of pulses as well as motivating farmers. To compensate the losses of production of Kharif pulses, a program on additional area coverage of pulses during Rabi/Summer 2012-13 has been sanctioned with an allocation of Rs. 100 crore to increase production of Rabi/summer pulses through area expansion of Rabi pigeon pea, gram, pea and lentil during Rabi and green gram and black gram during summer. Besides, under the Macro Management of Agriculture (MMA) scheme, assistance is also provided for pulses development in the states which are not covered under NFSM-Pulses.
Source: pib.nic.in
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