Madhya Pradesh Cabinet's Bold Move: Millet Procurement and New Initiatives Unveiled

The Madhya Pradesh Cabinet has approved the procurement of kodo and kutki millets from key districts and introduced several initiatives including a price deficit scheme for soybean farmers, enhanced dearness relief for pensioners, and free coaching for minority youths under existing programs.

In a decisive move, the Madhya Pradesh Cabinet has announced its inaugural procurement of kodo and kutki millets from farmers in major millet-producing districts. This landmark decision, led by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, marks a significant step under the 'Rani Durgavati Shree-Ann Protsahan Yojana'. The districts included in this initiative are Jabalpur, Katni, Mandla, Dindori, Chhindwara, Shahdol, Anuppur, Umaria, Rewa, Sidhi, and Singrauli, with the potential for expansion based on demand.

The Shri Ann Federation, a consortium of farmer-producer companies, will spearhead the procurement, aiming to secure around 30,000 metric tonnes of millet for the 2025 Kharif season. This procurement is supported by an interest-free loan of Rs 80 crore from the State's Price Stabilization Fund. Farmers stand to gain an additional Rs 1,000 per quintal incentive, thanks to the Direct Benefit Transfer system.

In addition to millet procurement, the Cabinet has also approved a Price Deficit Payment Scheme for soybean farmers, slated from October 24, 2025, to January 15, 2026. With a minimum support price set at Rs 5,238 per quintal, the scheme will bridge the gap between MSP and the weighted average price through DBT. Furthermore, the Cabinet sanctioned the RAMP program to boost MSME performance, an increase in dearness relief for pensioners, and expanded free coaching for youth under the Sardar Patel Scheme.

(With inputs from agencies.)