The story of the pulses revolution is another chapter about accomplishments by the Indian farmers. Discuss (200 Words)
Refer - Financial Express
Enrich the answer from other sources, if the question demands.
IAS Parliament 4 years
KEY POINTS
· Most of the countries which had food grains declared an export embargo. India is a rare example. The country not only fed its citizens for free but also gave food in the form of humanitarian aid.
· Just a week into the lockdown, the government announced an extra 5-kg supply of grains (rice & wheat) per head per month free, for close to 81 crore beneficiaries covered under National Food Security Act (NFSA) and also made provisions of 1 kg of pulses to about 20 crore families (NFSA beneficiaries). These allocations were in addition to the 5 kg of highly subsidised grain per head per month entitlement under NFSA.
· The government increased MSP on pulses by 8-16% in 2016-17. Elaborate arrangements were made for procuring of pulses from farmers under the Price Support Scheme (PSS).
· The government guarantee for procurement operation was increased manifold. Foreseeing the need to have a strategic buffer of pulses, a 20-lakh-tonne buffer stock was formed through the Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF), with a corpus of more than Rs 10,000 crore.
· The state governments, particularly of pulse-production leaders like Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Maharashtra, and Karnataka, worked in close coordination for the procurement of pulses.
· Farmers were greatly enthused by the attractive MSP. There was a 42% increase in production of pulses, unheard of in any other category of food articles.
· The regions where pulses are grown are rainfed areas. If not pulses, cotton or soybean may be grown in these areas. Increasing the MSP of pulses, coupled with robust procurement operations under PSS or PSF, have given the farmers a much-needed breather in uncertain agri-climatic conditions.
· The otherwise fallow land is now being used for sowing two pulse crops (kharif and rabi) in most of the regions. Better utilisation of land resource and the increased income from two crops coupled with soil productivity increase and fodder for animals has found resonance with farmers.
Prakash R 4 years
please review
IAS Parliament 4 years
Good attempt. Keep Writing.
