Recently Committee on MSP sets up four sub-groups to

Solution

The committee formed on MSP which is chaired by former agriculture secretary Sanjay Agrawal has now set up 4 sub-groups to discuss three mandated topics. Earlier the committee discussed ways to promote zero budget-based farming to change crop patterns keeping in mind the changing needs of the country and to make MSP more effective and transparent. The first group will study Himalayan states as well as the cropping pattern and crop diversification and how to ensure MSP support in those states. The second group on micro irrigation — to be headed by Sukhpal Singh will study how to make micro-irrigation farmer-centric. Currently, micro irrigation is driven by government subsidies and the group will examine how to generate farmers’ demand for this. The third group — led by a representative of the National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) — will study zero budget based farming, including organic and natural farming methods, and generate a consensus of farmers. The fourth group — to be led by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) — along with Hyderabad-based Central Research Institute for Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA) and Nagpur-based National Bureau of Soil Survey and Land Use Planning (NBSSLUP) and one more institute will study the crop diversification and cropping pattern across the country and submit a background report. Learn Along: The minimum support price (MSP) is an agricultural product price, set by the Government of India to purchase directly from the farmer. This is not enforceable by law. By definition, this rate is to safeguard the farmer to a minimum profit for the harvest, if the open market has lesser price than the cost incurred.