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The Department of Consumer Affairs has started a special program to reduce the import dependency of Pulses.

What is the main goal of this new program?

The main goal is to promote the cultivation of pulses, especially arhar (also known as tur or pigeon pea) and urad (black gram), during the Kharif season of 2025, to help India become more self-reliant in food production and reduce the need to import pulses.

India's domestic pulse production has increased from 163.23 lakh tonnes in 2015–16 to 244.93 lakh tonn in 2023–24. India's imports of pulses doubled in 2023–24 compared to the previous year, reaching 47.38 lakh tonnes, valued around $5 billion.

How Is the Government Boosting Pulse Farming?

The Department of Consumer Affairs, which is part of the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, is leading this program. They are promoting arhar and urad cultivation through campaigns that distribute seeds to farmers. The National Cooperative Consumer’s Federation of India Ltd. (NCCF) implements these campaigns.

The program is expanding from a successful pilot in two districts of Jharkhand to 12 districts across seven states: Jharkhand (Palamu, Latehar, Garhwa), Uttar Pradesh (Mirzapur, Lalitpur), Bihar (Gaya, Jehanabad), Karnataka (Vijaypura), and unspecified districts in Manipur and Tripura.

The government chose these specific districts because they are "rainfed areas," meaning they rely on rainfall for farming, and they include "Aspirational Blocks"

Aspirational Blocks are underdeveloped areas that NITI Aayog identifies for rapid improvement across various sectors like health, education, and basic infrastructure. The program works to improve governance and living quality in these less developed blocks by combining existing government schemes, setting clear goals, and constantly monitoring progress.

What special support are farmers getting?

Money for Seeds => The government allocates ₹1 crore for distributing seeds to farmers.

Guaranteed Purchase => If the market price for pulses falls, the government guarantees they will buy 100% of the harvest from farmers at a Minimum Support Price (MSP). This ensures farmers do not lose money if prices drop. For the Kharif Marketing Season 2025-26, the MSP is ₹8,000 per quintal for Arhar and ₹7,800 per quintal for Urad.

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Source:

INDIAN EXPRESS

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q. Discuss the role of the Public Distribution System (PDS) in ensuring food security for the vulnerable sections of society. What reforms are needed to make it more efficient and leak-proof? 250 words