Centre nod for increasing pulses buffer stock to 20 lakh tonnes

NEW DELHI: The government on Monday decided to raise the buffer stock of pulses to 20 lakh tonnes from eight lakh tonnes to keep prices stable and encourage farmers.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

“The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has approved the proposal of department of consumer affairs on enhancing the buffer stock for pulses up to 20 lakh tonnes. The buffer stock will be built through domestic procurement and imports of 10 lakh tonnes each,” said an official statement.

Government agencies will procure 10 lakh tonnes of pulses from farmers, while 10 lakh tonnes will be imported, the statement said.

The prices of pulses such as green, black and red gram hit a record high earlier this year after back-to-back droughts curbed output in 2015.

However, in the past few weeks, prices of some pulses fell below their minimum support prices (MSPs) as ample rains prompted farmers to cultivate them on more area.

India fixes MSPs based on production costs and makes purchases if prices drop below the government-fixed rate.

APPROVAL TO CREATION OF NEW POSTS IN BSF The Narendra Modi Cabinet approved cadre restructuring for the officers of the Border Security Force (BSF) that will provide additional 74 posts in order to meet its enhanced requirements.

According to a government statement, the cabinet approved the cadre review of group A executive officers of BSF with net creation of 74 posts of various ranks from assistant commandant to additional director general ranks.

The last cadre review took place in 1990.

GOVT AGENCIES WILL PROCURE 10 LAKH TONNES OF PULSES FROM FARMERS, WHILE THE REST WILL BE IMPORTED