New Delhi [India], August 12 (ANI): The Government of India is implementing the integrated Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) with the objective of ensuring remunerative prices to farmers and making essential commodities available to consumers at affordable prices, Centre informed Lok Sabha on Tuesday.

Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare said that the scheme components are Price Support Scheme (PSS) and Price Stabilisation Fund (PSF), along with Price Deficit Payment Scheme (PDPS) and Market Intervention Scheme (MIS).

PSS is operationalised on the request of the concerned State/UT Governments when market prices of notified pulses, oilseeds, and copra fall below the notified Minimum Support Price (MSP) during the peak harvesting period.

This information was given by Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Ramnath Thakur, in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.

'The primary objective of this component is to safeguard farmers against distress sales by ensuring procurement at MSP. Under PSS, procurement of eligible commodities conforming to the prescribed Fair Average Quality (FAQ) standards is undertaken by designated Central Nodal Agencies (CNAs), i.e. National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Ltd,' the Ministry said.

To ensure transparency, efficiency, and ease of operations under the Price Support Scheme (PSS), NAFED and NCCF have developed dedicated digital platforms: e-Samriddhi and e-Samukti, respectively. These portals streamline the entire procurement process, from farmer registration to final payment, thereby reducing manual intervention.

Farmers can register themselves on these portals by providing basic details such as Aadhaar number, land records, bank account information, crop details etc. Pre-registered farmers, if willing to offer their stock under the scheme, can select their nearest purchase centre, thereafter, scheduling is done by portal for physical visit to centre on a particular date. This system ensures timely and direct transfer of MSP payments into farmers' bank accounts, eliminating delays and intermediaries, the ministry informed the Lower House. (ANI)