(a) whether the committee headed by the Chief Economic Advisor (CEA) had recommended higher MSP for pulses and subsidies for farming pulses;
(b) if so, the details thereof;
(c) whether the Government has taken various steps to implement the recommendation of the committee;
(d) if so, the details thereof; and
(e) if not, the reasons for not accepting the recommendations of the committee?
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
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(a) & (b): The Committee headed by the Chief Economic Adviser (CEA) had recommended the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of gram at Rs. 40 per kg for rabi, 2016-17, Rs. 60 per kg each for tur and urad for kharif 2017-18 and that MSPs for other pulses should be increased by the same percent as calculated in their report for tur, urad, and gram. The Committee also recommended that the MSP of tur to be fixed at Rs. 70 per kg for 2018-19.
The Committee further recommended that to promote production of pulses, efforts to be made to give production subsidies to farmers for growing pulses in irrigated areas of about Rs.10-15 per kg via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
(c) to (e): Government had increased the MSPs of pulses for 2016-17 and 2017-18 on the basis of recommendation of CACP, after considering the views of State Governments and Central Ministries/Departments concerned and other relevant factors. Besides, Government had also announced bonus on pulses for 2016-17 and 2017-18 to incentivize farmers to cultivate pulses. Government had fixed the MSP including bonus of gram at Rs. 4000 per quintal for rabi, 2016-17. For kharif, 2017-18, the MSPs including bonus of tur and urad had been fixed at Rs. 5450 per quintal and Rs. 5400 per quintal respectively. The MSPs fixed by Government for tur and urad for 2017-18 provide returns of 64.3 per cent and 65.4 per cent over all-India weighted average cost of production (A2+FL). The MSP including bonus of masur for rabi, 2016-17 had been fixed at Rs. 3950 per quintal. The MSP including bonus for kharif 2017-18 for moong had been fixed at Rs. 5575 per quintal.
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