What is the key objective of the Indian government's

Solution

•     The Indian government has developed a new program to promote domestic cultivation of pulses such as lentils and encourage farmers to plant them rather than traditional crops. •     It intends to increase India's pulse output in order to achieve self-sufficiency and eliminate large annual imports. Key Details Of The Scheme Ø  5-year contracts with farmer collectives willing to grow pulses, ensuring procurement at pre-determined Minimum Support Prices (MSP). Ø  The program focuses on replacing portions of area previously given to wheat and rice with pulses and oilseeds by reducing financial risk for farmers transitioning to new crops. Ø  With India importing 30-35 lakh tonnes of lentils, pigeon peas, and black gram per year, coordinated measures to increase local capacity can help lower import bills and associated vulnerabilities over time. Ø  Large-scale on-field demo projects will begin in the 2023 Kharif season to familiarize farmers with strategies for increasing Urad and Tur dal production, with the goal of self-sufficiency by 2027. Ø  Pulse purchase at MSP pricing has increased 18 times in the last ten years. MSP rates for all pulses have also increased significantly, in line with cultivation costs and inflation indexes. •     The Indian government is also collaborating with Brazil and Argentina on urad imports, as relying on just one supplier poses a risk. Learn Along: About NAFED AND NCCF •     The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd (NAFED) and the National Cooperative Consumer Federation of India Ltd (NCCF) are the umbrella organizations for the cooperative network in rural India. •     They intend to promote farmer-producer organizations and direct agri-commodity procurement in order to maintain stable crop prices and agricultural incomes.