Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan reviewed future action plans and preparations of Agriculture department at Mantralaya in Bhopal on Thursday. Reviewing the onion purchase arrangements, Chouhan said that onion at the rate of Rs 8 per kg will be purchased from the farmers and will be made available to poor consumers at the rate of Rs 2 per kg at PDS shops. limit for purchase will be fixed for the consumers. It may be mentioned that about 4 hundred consumers are covered by one PDS shop.
Regarding Tuar purchase, Chouhan issued instructions that availability of tuar in each district should be assessed. Tuar, Moong and Urad will be purchased from one centre only. A total of 80 procurement centres have been set up till date. It was informed in the meeting that as per the estimation, one to 1.5 lakh matric tonne Tuar will be purchased till June 30.
Chouhan clarified that pulses will not be imported to avoid price fall in domestic market and loss to the farmers. He further mentioned that he will not let pulses' prices fall to enable farmers to get full price of their produce. No exemption of any kind will be given on pulses, he added.
Moreover, Chouhan gave directives for establishment of 'Price Stabilisation Fund' with immediate effect. He also instructed for appointments of chairman and members after forming an organisational structure of Agriculture Cost and Marketing Commission.
Chouhan told the officials to select centres and places for Kharif crop procurement in advance to avoid delay in purchase on minimum support price.
Chouhan also issued instructions to officials to start a scheme for providing mobile-based SMS or consultancy to the farmers. He said that farmers should have information about each crop. Farmers should know how much quantity of seeds should be sowed in an area to enable them to get proper rates for their produces in case of bumper crop. Farmers should not get affected owing to excess production and low prices. Therefore, he issued instructions for preparation of an App-based on data base of farmers so that they could register detail easily on it. He also told for considering linkage of potential crop buyers with the app. Moreover, Chouhan gave directives for forming a committee to deliberate and preparing a strategy on various issues related to this subject.
Chouhan directed the officials to present a draft of scheme regarding one time settlement scheme announced for the farmers till Monday. He said that it is our priority to ensure benefit of credit card scheme to defaulter farmers once again.
Chief Secretary BP Singh, Additional Chief Secretary AP Singh, Principal Secretary to the CM Ashok Varnwal, Agriculture Production Commissioner PC Meena and Senior Officers of Cooperative, Mandi Board and MARKFED were present in the meeting.