The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has approved the proposal of Department of Consumer Affairs on enhancing the buffer stock for pulses up to 20 lakh tonnes (LT). The buffer stock will be built through domestic procurement and imports of 10 LT each. For creating the buffer stock, the domestic procurement operations will be undertaken by the Central Agencies namely FCI, NAFED and SFAC or any other agency as decided by PSFMC. In addition, state governments may also be authorized, wherever possible, to undertake the procurement in a manner similar to decentralized procurement of food-grains.
The specific variety of pulses and their respective quantities for the buffer stock, their phasing/procurement will be decided based on price and availability position, both domestic & global and changes, if any, in the procurement plan for the current and subsequent seasons will be with due approvals.
Besides, releases from the stock and procurement in subsequent year would be based on the prevailing pulse scenario as well as buffer stock position. The requisite funds for this operation would be provided to the Price Stabilization Fund Scheme of the Department.