Extra foodgrains at MSP for calamity-hit people

NEW DELHI: States hit by natural calamities are being given additional foodgrains at Minimum Support Prices, Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said in Lok Sabha today.

"On the request of state governments and union territories, the government of India makes additional allocation of foodgrains for those affected by natural calamities at MSP and MSP derived prices for wheat and rice respectively applicable for the relevant marketing season," he said during Question Hour.

Paswan said during current year, only Maharashtra government had southt additional allocation of foodgrains for drought affected people in the state.

"Based on the request of the state government, this department has made an allocation of 1.63 lakh tons of rice and 2.44 lakh tons of wheat to the state government as per the existing policy," he said.

The Minister said the government has decided to provide upto 50 days of additional employment, over and above 100 days under MGNREGA in notified drought affected blocks during 2015-16.

In addition, a number of interventions have been approved to save Kharif crops affected due to drought and deficit rainfall during Kharif 2015.

Implementation of Diesel Subsidy Scheme for protective irrigation of crops with an allocation of Rs 100 crore, enhancement of extant ceiling on seed subsidy by 50 per cent for distribution in drought notified districts, implementation of intervention on perennial horticulture crops with an additional allocation of Rs 150 crore under Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture are some of these interventions, he said.