Cabinet okays paddy MSP hike, green VGF and a ₹2,870-cr revamp of Varanasi international airport
cabinet on Wednesday set the ball rolling on the 100-day agenda of the new government with a slew of decisions, including a 5-11% increase in minimum support price (MSP) for kharif crops, a ₹76,220-crore port in Vadhavan, Maharashtra, and a ₹2,870-crore revamp of the Varanasi international airport.
The cabinet — meeting for the first time since the allocation of ministerial portfolios — under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, also approved viability gap funding (VGF) for offshore wind energy projects.
In the run-up to the general election, all ministries and departments had readied a plan for the first 100 days of new government.
Briefing mediapersons on the decisions of the cabinet, information and broadcasting minister Ashwani Vaishnaw said MSP has been raised for 14 kharif season crops, with the highest increase recommended for oilseeds and pulses to encourage cultivation and reduce import dependence.
He said farmers will earn ₹2 lakh crore from sale of their produce at the revised MSP, adding that these new prices will lead to an incremental income of ₹35,000 crore to farmers nationwide, compared with the rates a year ago.
MSP for paddy has been raised by ₹117 to ₹2,300 per quintal and for medium staple cotton by ₹501 per quintal to ₹7,121 per quintal.
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Among millets, per quintal MSP for jowar has been increased to ₹3,371, for ragi to ₹4,290 and for bajra to ₹2,625. «The MSP for each crop is at least 1.5 times its production cost,» he said.
Among oilseeds, sesame and
