Pune: Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan Approved by Central Government; Rs 35,000 Crore Sanctioned

Pune, 19th September 2024: The Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) scheme has been approved by the Central Government in a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday (18th September). Alongside this ₹35,000 crore scheme, an additional ₹24,000 crore has been sanctioned for subsidies on nutritional value-based chemical fertilizers for the Rabi season.

The Central Government has allocated ₹35,000 crore for PM-AASHA under the Fifteenth Finance Commission, to be utilized through 2025-26. The primary goal of this scheme is to ensure farmers receive fair prices for their agricultural produce, while consumers continue to access food grains at affordable rates.

PM-AASHA combines two earlier schemes—the Price Support Scheme (PSS) and the Price Stabilization Fund (PSF)—into one comprehensive program. The scheme guarantees purchase protection for farmers, ensuring that their produce is bought at a guaranteed price, shielding them from market price fluctuations. This will also help keep food grains available to consumers at affordable prices throughout the year.

In the first phase, 25% of the national production of pulses, oilseeds, and coconuts will be procured. Organizations such as NAFED and NCCF will handle the purchases, ensuring that farmers receive the difference between the guaranteed price and the actual market price. These organizations will then sell the produce at reasonable rates during periods of scarcity or market price surges, ensuring consumer access to affordable food grains.

Additionally, the Central Government has approved a ₹24,475 crore subsidy for chemical fertilizers based on nutritional value for the Rabi season. This subsidy, covering fertilizers with nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, will be available from October 2024 to March 2025. It is aimed at preventing global price increases from impacting farmers during the Rabi season, allowing them to obtain fertilizers at reasonable prices. The government has also fixed base prices for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash fertilizers, with subsidies provided to cover the additional cost.