Approval to continue PM-AASHA scheme till 2025-26, purchase of tur starts in many states
PM-AASHA: The government has allowed the purchase of tur, urad, and masoor equal to 100 percent of the state's production for the 2024-25 procurement year under PSS. In Budget 2025, the government has also announced that the purchase of tur (arhar), urad, and masoor up to 100 percent of the state's production will continue for the next four years to achieve self-sufficiency in terms of pulses in the country.
The Center has approved extending the Integrated Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) scheme through to the 15th Finance Commission that is 2025-26. The integrated PM-AASHA scheme is likely to make procurement of products by farmers effective, says an official notification. It is important that there is a remunerative price to farmers along with checking the price volatility of important products.
Procurement is done on behalf of central nodal agencies by pre-registered farmers through the Integrated PM-ASHA Scheme. It is done under the Price Support Scheme (PSS), where the procurement of notified pulses, oilseeds, and copra on terms of prescribed Fair Average Quality (FAQ) is done on MSP (Minimum Support Price) by state-level agencies directly.
The government has allowed the purchase of tur, urad, and lentils equal to 100 percent of the state's production for the 2024-25 procurement year under PSS. In Budget 2025, the government has also announced that the procurement of tur (arhar), urad, and lentils up to 100 percent of the state's production will continue for the next four years to achieve self-sufficiency in pulses in the country.
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has approved the purchase of a total of 13.22 lakh tonnes of tur (pigeon pea) in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh under PSS for the Kharif 2024-25 season.
Procurement has started in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Telangana and till February 15, a total of 15 thousand tonnes of tur (pigeon pea) has been procured in these states, benefiting 12,006 farmers of these states. According to the government, the purchase of tur (pigeon pea) will start soon in other states as well. A statement issued by the government said that the Central Government is committed to purchasing 100 percent of tur dal produced by farmers through central nodal agencies like NAFED and NCCF.
