Inaugurating the UN World Pulses Day celebrations in New Delhi today, Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar said that initiatives of the Government in increasing pulses production in the country yielded positive results and Government is committed to provide remunerative prices to farmers for the produce. Government's aim is to make India a surplus country in terms of pulses production. The Minister added that Government's primary focus given to the sector is seen from the budgetary allocations made for the Agriculture and Rural Development sector which is about Rs. 3 lakh crore.
While the Agriculture sector budget was Rs.27 thousand crore couple of years ago, the Government has allocated over Rs. 1.5 lakh crore in FY 2020-21, he added. Tomar said after having achieved surplus foodgrains production, the country has turned self-sufficient in Pulses cultivation since 2016-17 with the combined efforts of all stakeholders. In the crop year 2018-19 India produced 22 million tonnes of Pulses and for the next year a target of 26.30 million tonnes is projected.
The Minister said that in order to ensure proper value for the produce, Government has raised the MSP by one-and-a-half times based on recommendations of the Swaminathan Committee. eNAMhas been strengthened with a view of One Nation One Market which has provided farmers access to better and wider market area ensuring a fair price. Already 585 Mandis have joined the eNAM portal and another 400 Mandis will be added soon. Congratulating NAFED for taking a lead in organizing the World Pulses Day event, Tomar said the Government has procured 63 lakh tonnes of Pulses in the last five years, benefitting lakhs of farmers.
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