The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved a ₹1,200 crore scheme on Wednesday for the discounted disposal of chana to states, which will be used for various welfare schemes from the stock of pulses procured under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) and Price Stabilization Fund (PSF).
The committee also approved an increase in the quantity of procurement under PSS from 25% to 40% in the case of tur, urad, and Masur lentils.
Under this approved scheme, states are offered the opportunity to lift 15 lakh metric tonnes of chana at a discount of ₹8 per kg over the sourcing state’s issue price on a first-come-first-served basis. These pulses are used by states in various welfare schemes or programmes such as mid-day meals, public distribution systems, and integrated child development programmes.
This will be a one-time exemption for a period of 12 months or until the entire 15 lakh metric tonnes stock of chana is depleted, whichever comes first.
According to the government, the decisions will also enable states to make available space for warehouses, which may be required in the coming Rabi season for accommodating fresh stocks procured under the price support scheme, which will help farmers get a remunerative price for their pulses and encourage more farmers to grow such pulses by making higher investments and helping them get a remunerative price for their produce.
Furthermore, this contributes to our country’s self-sufficiency in such pulses, according to the government.
