Budget 2016 provisions for pulses may help if implemented properly

PUNE: Agricultural experts and industry veterans think that the budget provisions for pulses announced when the prices are at historic high levels and the world is celebrating year 2016 as the international year of pulses, will help the sector, provided they are implemented properly.

The Union Budget has provided for Rs 500 crore under the National Food Security Mission for increasing the productivity and production of pulses. "There are some good components of the NFSM scheme, which if implemented properly can help boost production of pulses," said a high level government official, who did not want to be identified.

The budget has also proposed to increase the provision for the Price Stabilisation Fund to Rs 900 crore, which will go for creating buffer stock of pulses. "If the government wants to procure 50,000 tonne pulses as it had announced, the provision of Rs 900 crore under the Price Stabilisation Fund seems to be inadequate looking at the current rate of whole tur beans," said Nitin Kalantry, a dal miller from Maharashtra.

However, the announcement of the finance minister to increase the scope and efficiency of minimum support price (MSP) operations may be helpful for pulses in the long term. The budget proposed to increase scope of decentralised procurement and to take up online procurement through Food Corporation of India. "If farmers are assured that pulses will be procured at MSP without any hassle, they will not reduce area under the crop," said Kalantry.