Government Extends Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) Scheme Till 2025-26; Ensures 100% Procurement of State’s Pulses Production.
New Delhi:
The Government of India has approved the continuation of the integrated Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) Scheme until 2025-26, aligned with the 15th Finance Commission cycle. The scheme, which aims to ensure fair prices for farmers while controlling price volatility of essential commodities, will focus on the procurement of pulses, oilseeds, and copra. The initiative seeks to support farmers by providing them remunerative prices, directly benefiting their livelihoods, and ensuring that essential products remain affordable for consumers.
Under the scheme, a key focus will be the procurement of pulses such as Tur (Arhar), Urad, and Masur. The government has committed to purchasing 100% of the pulses produced by farmers in each state for the procurement year 2024-25, covering the entire domestic production. This move is aimed at enhancing self-sufficiency in pulses and reducing the country’s reliance on imports.
The scheme also includes an important announcement made in the Union Budget for 2025, where the government confirmed that procurement of Tur, Urad, and Masur will continue for the next four years. This decision is part of a long-term strategy to bolster domestic pulse production and ensure the agricultural sector’s growth.
Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, has approved the procurement of Tur (Arhar) across nine states—Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, Haryana, Karnataka, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh—under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) for the Kharif 2024-25 season. This procurement will amount to a total of 13.22 LMT.
Procurement activities have already commenced in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Maharashtra, and Telangana, with 0.15 LMT of Tur already being procured as of February 15, 2025. A total of 12,006 farmers in these states have benefitted from the initiative. Procurement in other states will begin shortly. The Government of India has assured that 100% of the Tur (Arhar) produced by farmers will be purchased through central nodal agencies, such as NAFED (National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India) and NCCF (National Cooperative Consumer Federation), ensuring complete support for the farming community.
This move by the government aims not only to safeguard the interests of farmers but also to stabilize the market by maintaining adequate supplies of key pulses in the country, ensuring that farmers receive a fair price for their produce while consumers benefit from stable pricing.
