E-mandis in Chhattisgarh and Telangana are functioning effectively and other states should follow suit, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said today.
Around 54 physical mandis in these two states have been shifted to an online platform under the central scheme electronic National Agriculture Market (eNAM) launched in April 2016. Now, farmers in these mandis are bidding online.
So far, a total 455 mandis have been converted to online trading in a dozen odd states including Uttar Pradesh, but online trade in true sense is still not happening. Some are doing physical trade and later entering the data online.
Singh discussed these issues in the review meeting with 13 state agri-ministers here.
"Two states Chhattisgarh and Telangana are doing really well. E-mandis are functioning effectively in the states. Farmers are trading online and benefitting. Other states should emulate them," Singh said.
Under the eNAM scheme, each mandi is provided assistance of Rs 30 lakh for setting up of infrastructure in the integrated regulated markets. In this year's budget, this amount has been increased to Rs 75 lakh, he said.
So far, 455 mandis are connectd with eNAM and the target is to connect 585 mandis by March 31, 2018. There are more than 2,700 mandis across the country.
The ministry's plan is to achieve online agri-trade within mandis in the first phase and then inter-mandis within the state and finally go for trading in mandis inter- state wise, thereby establishing one integrated agri-market at a national level for the benefit of farmers.
The main objective of eNAM is to give farmers access to prices of different mandis and facility to sell their products in a transparent manner to those who offer the best price.
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