New Delhi [India], January 25 : Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan held a meeting in New Delhi today and approved the procurement of 3.37 lakh metric tons of tur (pigeon pea) in Maharashtra under the Price Support Scheme (PSS), at a Minimum Support Price (MSP) of approximately Rs 2696 crore.
According to a press release, during the meeting, Chouhan discussed the procurement arrangements with the state's Marketing Minister, Jaykumar Rawal. He gave necessary instructions to NAFED, NCCF, and the concerned state officials.
During the meeting, Chouhan said that this decision to procure tur will place a significant financial burden on the central government, but despite this, the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is fully committed to the welfare of farmers.
Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that it is very important that the procurement is done properly. Direct procurement from farmers will reduce the involvement of middlemen and ensure that the benefits reach the actual farmers.
Chouhan said that NAFED and NCCF should conduct the procurement process in coordination with the state government so that the benefits of procurement reach the genuine farmers. Giving instructions to the officials to ensure transparency through modern technology, Chouhan said that proper arrangements should be made for the registration of farmers using the latest and most effective technology.
The Union Minister instructed the officials to increase the number of procurement centres if needed so that farmers do not face any inconvenience and the procurement system remains transparent and effective. As per the release, the high-level meeting was attended by Maharashtra Marketing Minister Jaykumar Rawal, Central Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi, and other senior officials.
Meanwhile, Chouhan on Friday launched a sharp attack on Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of indulging in "drama" over the Viksit Bharat-Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (Gramin) (VB-G RAM G) Act and alleging that the Congress MP was unaware of even the name of the legislation.