Lok Sabha Question No. 320 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-12-02
Subject: Implementation of PM-AASHA
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Raju Bista

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 320

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 2 nd  DECEMBER, 2025

## IMPLEMENTATION OF PM-AASHA

320.  SHRI RAJU BISTA:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND  FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष और ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether  the  Pradhan  Mantri  Annadata  Aay  Sanrakshan  Abhiyan  (PM-AASHA) scheme is implemented in West Bengal;
- (b) if  so,  the  details  of  the  scheme  and  if  not,  the  reasons  for  not  implementing  the scheme in West Bengal;
- (c) the number of farmers who have benefitted from the PM-AASHA scheme, State-wise and;
- (d) the details of benefits that farmers can avail through the said scheme?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण राÏय मंğी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

- (a) & (b): Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) is applicable across the country. Till date, No proposal has been received from Government of West Bengal under this scheme.

Price  Support  Scheme  (PSS),  Price  Deficit  Payment  Scheme  (PDPS)  and  Market Intervention  Scheme  (MIS)  are  components  of  PM-AASHA.    PSS  is  implemented  for procurement  of  prescribed  Fair  Average  Quality  (FAQ)  of  notified  pulses,  oilseeds  and copra at Minimum Support Price (MSP) within the stipulated period as and when the market prices of  these commodities fall below the notified MSP during peak harvesting period to provide remunerative price to the pre-registered farmers. The procurement of the notified pulses,  oilseeds  and  copra  is  undertaken  by  the  Central Nodal  Agencies  (CNAs)  directly from the pre-registered  farmers  through the State level agencies. This  scheme  is implemented at the request of the concerned State Government which agrees to exempt the  procured  commodities  from  levy  of  mandi  tax  and  assist  central  nodal  agencies  in logistic arrangements, including gunny bags, working capital for state agencies, creation of revolving fund for PSS operations, etc .as required under the scheme guidelines.

PDPS envisages direct payment of the difference between the MSP and the selling  / modal price  to  pre  -registered  farmers  selling  oilseeds  of  prescribed  Fair  Average  Quality (FAQ) norms within the stipulated period in the notified market yard through a transparent auction process.

MIS  is  implemented  for  procurement  of  agricultural  and  horticultural  commodities, which  are  perishable  in  nature  and  are  not  covered  under  the  Minimum  Support  Price regime. The objective of intervention is to protect the farmers from distress sale in the event of a bumper crop during the peak arrival period when the prices tend to fall below economic levels and the cost of production. Government has introduced a new components of Price Differential Payment (PDP) with an option to make direct payment of the price difference between  the  Market  Intervention  Price  (MIP)  and  the  selling  price  to  the  farmers  for  the crops  traded  in  the  APMC  mandis.  Additionally,  reimbursement  for  transportation  and storage cost of TOP crops (Tomato, Onion and Potato) to central nodal agencies & State designated agencies for storing and transporting them from producing state to consuming state are allowed.

(c): The benefitted number of farmers under PM-AASHA are  1,27,67,791.  State-wise details are at Annexure-I.

(d): Through the Implementation PSS , farmers will get the benefit of MSP for notifies pulses, oilseeds and copra by selling their produce to the Government designated procuring agencies. Implementation of PDPS will ensure the farmers in getting the price differential payment between the MSP and sale price of notified oilseeds traded in the APMC mandis upto 15% of MSP. MIS will ensure the farmers in getting remunerative price for perishable crops during peak arrival period.

## Annexure-I

State  -wise farmers benefited under PM  -AASHA since 2018 (as on 31.10.2025)

| States/Year    | Number of Farmers benefited   |
|----------------|-------------------------------|
| ANDHRA PRADESH | 3,00,616                      |
| ASSAM          | 5,391                         |
| CHHATISGARH    | 2,325                         |
| GUJARAT        | 21,61,504                     |
| HARYANA        | 7,80,620                      |
| KARNATAKA      | 11,06,384                     |
| KERALA         | 6,840                         |
| MADHYA PRADESH | 33,48,602                     |
| MAHARASHTRA    | 20,51,886                     |
| ODISHA         | 45,967                        |
| PUNJAB         | 2,526                         |
| RAJASTHAN      | 22,19,830                     |
| TAMILNADU      | 1,08,471                      |
| TELANGANA      | 3,86,042                      |
| UTTAR PRADESH  | 2,40,787                      |
| Grand Total    | 1,27,67,791                   |

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