About:
- Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) will provide remunerative prices to the farmers for their produce by providing MSP assurance to farmers.
- Components of PM-AASHA: The new Umbrella Scheme is comprised of (1) Price Support Scheme (PSS), (2) Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) and (3) 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.
- Comment: This is an unprecedented step taken by Govt. of India to protect the farmers’ income which is expected to go a long way towards the welfare of farmers. Government has already increased the MSP of kharif crops by following the principle of 1.5 times the cost of production.
Price Support Scheme (PSS)
- In PSS, physical procurement of pulses, oilseeds and Copra will be done by Central Nodal Agencies with proactive role of State governments.
- 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 this 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.
