Minimum Support Price

        Highlights:

• Government fixes Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) of 22 mandated crops and Fair & Remunerative Prices (FRP) for Sugarcane on the basis of recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP).
• The Union Budget for 2018-19 had announced the pre-determined principle to keep MSP at levels of one and half times the cost of production. Accordingly, Government has increased the Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for all notified Kharif, Rabi and other commercial crops with a return of at least 50 percent of cost of production for the season 2018-19.
• The Government is working on a new market architecture, so as to ensure that farmers get remunerative prices on their produce. These include setting up of Gramin Agricultural Markets (GrAMs) so as to promote 22,000 number of retail markets in close proximity of farm gate; competitive and transparent wholesale trade at APMC through e-NAM; and a robust and pro-farmer export policy.
• Recently launched Umbrella Scheme “Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)” provides for a holistic arrangement for assurance of a remunerative and stable price environment for growers /farmers to increase agriculture production and productivity.
• This Umbrella Scheme comprises Price Support Scheme (PSS) for pulses & oilseeds, Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) and Pilot of Private Procurement & Stockist Scheme (PPSS) for oilseeds to ensure MSP to the farmers.

National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture

        Highlights:

• National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) has been made operational from the year 2014-15 which aims at making agriculture more productive, sustainable, remunerative and climate resilient by promoting location specific  integrated /composite farming systems; soil and moisture conservation measures; comprehensive soil health management; efficient water management practices and mainstreaming rainfed technologies.
• On Farm Water Management (OFWM) was implemented as one of the component of NMSA during 2014-15 with the objective of enhancing water use efficiency by promoting technological interventions like drip & sprinkler technologies, efficient water application & distribution system, secondary storage etc. Thereafter, these activities have been subsumed under the ‘Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)’ component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) during 2015-16.
• The PMKSY-PDMC mainly focuses on water use efficiency at farm level through precision/ Micro Irrigation (Drip and Sprinkler Irrigation). Besides, promoting precision irrigation and better on farm water management practices to optimize the use of available water resources, the component also supports micro level water storage or water conservation /management activities to supplement source creation.
• Rainfed Area Development Programme is implemented as a component under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture since 2014-15 in the country. The programme focuses on Integrated Farming System for enhancing productivity and minimizing risks associated with climatic variability.
• Under this system, crops is integrated with activities like horticulture, livestock, fishery, vermi-organic compost, green manuaring, apiculture etc. to enable farmers maximising farm returns for sustained livelihood and mitigate the impacts of drought, flood or other extreme weather events with the income opportunity from allied activities.
• Soil Health Management (SHM) is one of the components under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA). SHM aims at promoting Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) through judicious use of chemical fertilizers including secondary and micro nutrients in conjunction with organic manures and bio fertilizers for improving soil health and its productivity, strengthening of soil and fertilizer testing facilities to improve soil test based recommendations to farmers for improving soil fertility.

Government Initiatives in North Eastern region

         NITI Forum for North East: Focussed attention for development of NER

• It is an exclusive forum at the NITI  AAYOG to prepare plans for the development of the North East Region, co-chaired by the Vice-Chairman of the Niti Aayog and Secretary of  DoNER.
• The forum examines various proposals both at the Central and the State levels and prepare plans for the speedy development of the North Eastern Region.
• The Forum proposed that the development projects in the NER would be based on the concept of “HIRA” (Highways, Inland Waterways, Railways and Airways). The emphasis would also be made on Education, Health and Skill Development in the region.

         National Bamboo Mission

• Restructured National Bamboo Mission approved by the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 25-04-2018.
• The Mission envisages promoting holistic growth of bamboo sector by adopting area-based,regionally differentiated strategy and to increase the area under bamboo cultivation and marketing.
• Under the Mission, steps have been taken to increase the availability of quality planting material by supporting the setting up of new nurseries and strengthening of existing ones.
• To address forward integration, the Mission is taking steps to strengthen marketing of bamboo products,especially those of handicraft items.

         Digital North East Vision 2022

• The Vision emphasizes leveraging digital technologies to transform lives of people of the north east and enhance the ease of living.
• The Vision Document identifies eight digital thrust areas - Digital Infrastructure, Digital services, Digital empowerment, Promotion of Electronics Manufacturing, Promotion of IT and ITes including BPOs, Digital Payments, Innovation & Startups and Cyber security.

         India’s first National Sports University

           Union Government’s vision for the North East has been ‘Transformation by Transportation.’ The Prime Minister said that the             North-East can be the New Engine of India’s growth. He said the Government is addressing the special needs of the North East             to enable growth parity with the rest of the country.