Union Cabinet approves MSP for 14 Kharif crops

The Union Cabinet has approved Minimum Support Price (MSP) on 14 Kharif season crops including Paddy, Ragi, Bajra, Jowar, Maize and Cotton. At a media briefing on Wednesday in New Delhi, Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said that after today's decision the farmers will get around Rs2 lakh crore as MSP. “This is ₹35,000 crores more than the previous season,” he said. The highest increase in MSP has been recommended for oilseeds and pulses, namely nigerseed (Rs 983 per quintal), followed by sesamum (Rs.632 per quintal) and Arhar dal (Rs 550 per quintal), it said.

#WATCH | On Union Cabinet decision on MSP for Kharif season crops, Information & Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw says, "With today's decision, the farmers will get around Rs 2 lakh crores as MSP. This is Rs 35,000 crores more than the previous season." pic.twitter.com/cUjJIqpzJ1

— ANI (@ANI) June 19, 2024

The other cabinet decision includes approval of India's first offshore wind energy project. “These will be 1GW offshore wind projects, 500 MW each (off the coast of Gujarat and Tamil Nadu). This is a big opportunity for India,” Vaishnaw added. The Cabinet also clear the proposal to develop an all-weather Greenfield deep-draft Major Port at Vadhavan in Maharashtra's Dahanu of Palghar district.Vaishnaw said the estimated cost of this project would be Rs 76,200 crore.The Vadhavan Port will have a capacity of 23 million TU capacity... It will have a capacity of 298 million tonnes... This port is estimated to generate 12 lakh employment, said. The Cabinet has approved the expansion of Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport, Varanasi at a cost of Rs 2,870 crores. The proposal includes extending the runway and building a new terminal building. It will be made a green airport for minimum energy consumption.