Govt Expands MSP Procurement Under PM-AASHA in Bihar, Chhattisgarh

In Bihar, NCCF has initiated organised procurement of masoor (lentil) for the first time, supported by scientific storage infrastructure through WDRA-approved warehouses in collaboration with the Central Warehousing Corporation. As of April 22, 2026, the state has set a procurement target of 32,000 metric tonnes, with 16 PACS/FPOs registered, 59 farmers onboarded and 100.4 metric tonnes procured so far. NAFED is also preparing to scale up operations under the Price Support Scheme through its cooperative network. In Chhattisgarh, procurement operations have gained momentum with digitised farmer participation through the E-Samyukti portal and expanded outreach efforts. A network of 85 PACS centres is currently operational across districts including Dhamtari, Durg, Balod, Balodabazar, Raipur, Raigarh and Sarangarh, with further expansion planned. NCCF has set procurement targets of 63,325 metric tonnes for chana and 5,360 metric tonnes for masoor in the state. As of April 22, it has procured 9,032 metric tonnes of chana and 7.98 metric tonnes of masoor, benefiting over 6,100 and 28 farmers respectively. NAFED, operating through state-level agencies, has opened 137 centres along with additional direct procurement centres. It has registered over 39,000 farmers for chana and 510 for masoor, with procurement reaching 3,850 metric tonnes of chana and 109 metric tonnes of masoor, benefiting more than 2,600 and 281 farmers respectively. The expansion of procurement infrastructure, use of digital platforms and cooperative-led operations is aimed at enhancing transparency, strengthening farmer outreach and ensuring better price support. The initiatives are expected to integrate farmers more effectively into formal supply chains while contributing to food security and price stabilisation. (KNN Bureau)