Technology Mission on Pulses

Wide price gap between the whole and milled/processed pulses in the chain of producer to consumer, vulnerability to stored grain pests due to lack of scientific storage facilities at domestic level, lack of governmental support to value addition (like packaging etc) and non linking of farmers produce to procurement policy commensurate to staple food i.e. wheat and paddy necessitates the following interventions to achieve the targeted production of 162 lakh tonnes.

• Procurement of 3 million tones pulses annually by NAFED or other Government agencies from each production zone.
• Establishment of a market intelligence cell/system for monitoring global prices and linking the same with the special export zone (SEZ).
• Extending storage facilities for pulses similar to that of wheat and paddy.

	Procurement Support : Usually the prices of pulses rule above the minimum support price (MSP) declared by Government of India. The benefits of these prices are taken up by the trading lobby whereas the same processed pulse products becomes very costly and beyond the reach of the same producer. To minimize the price gap in the chain of producer to consumer it is important to have the intervention of the Government of India through the active role of some institutional buyer like Cooperatives (NAFED). It is, therefore, proposed to procure at least 3 million tonnes of pulses through NAFED.
	Finance for procurement of oilseed and pulses is made available to NAFED by way of Cash Credit Limit (CCL) sanctioned by RBI through SBI on the recommendations of Govt. of India upto 75% of hypothecation of stock keeping a margin of 25% as per Banking norms. The remaining 25% is drawn only after Govt. guarantee in lieu of margin money is furnished. Thus, the funds with NAFED are only available after actual procurement and deposit of stock and warehouses.
	The NAFED may, therefore, be provided a revolving fund commensurate to the proposed procurement target of 3 million tonnes in pulses under the Price Support Scheme (PSS). The targeted pulses under the preview of PSS are Gram, Pigeonpea, Lentil, Pea, Mungbean and Urdbean.
	Integrated cereal development programmes coupled with MSP and procurement and development of PDS has led to the accumulated unprecendentedly huge stocks of food grains to the tune of over 70 million tones (by July 2002) against the requirement of about 22 million tones as buffer stocks and food security.
	High water and input intensive crops of paddy and wheat having a deleterious effect on natural resources in the states like Punjab and Haryana and the sensitivity of the states on this count has paved the way of crop diversification by delineation of potential but non traditional areas.
	In view of S.S. Johal, Committees recommendation proposing a scheme for financial assistance to the tune of Rs. 1280 crores for Punjab alone and consequently giving an economics of net saving for Rs. 9000/- on account of storage, handling loss etc., crop diversification through pulses is proposed through Missions programme.
	This has necessitated the policy intervention involving Ministry of Agriculture (DAC/ICAR), CSIR, Department of Food, Department of Food Processing Industries and Department of Consumer Affairs.
	Bringing all pulse crops under crop insurance scheme with low premium.
	Judicious pricing of irrigation water on the basis of volume of water used by different crops to encourage the farmers to go in for pulses cultivation.
	Scheduling need based irrigation by operationalization of canal/electric supply for pulses – irrigating pigeonpea at pod filling stage gives higher yield.
	Decentralization of powers at panchayat level for killing the blue bulls to combat the blue bull menace – this would help bringing in more area under summer pulses/pigeonpea.
	Liberal credit policies for pulse growers
	creating adequate storage capacity in rural areas.
	Encouraging private sectors, NGOs etc., in seed production, supply of critical inputs training activities, marketing and prcessing of pulses etc.
	Re-constitution of Empowered Committee of the Technology Mission.
	Constitution of a central level committee/Board on Pulses (like Tur Board in Karnataka state).
	Release of grant directly to implementing agencies for FLD, seed minikit component, SVS beneficiaries etc., by the nodal crop Directorates.
	To have a status of global marketing trend of value added/packaged pulse products like parched kabuli chickpea and sprouted mungbean through Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT), Special Export Zone (SEZ)
	Financial support to NAFED under PSS for procurement of pulses
	Exclusive dedicated TV channel on Agriculture.