Syllabus: GS-III: Agriculture

Why in the news?

The Union Cabinet has approved the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses (2025-26 to 2030-31) with an outlay of ₹11,440 crore, targeting 350 lakh tonnes of pulses by 2030-31 and benefiting 2 crore farmers through improved seeds, post-harvest infrastructure and assured procurement. 

• For Assam, which still depends on inflows from other states to meet its pulses demand despite surplus rice, this is a timely chance to diversify out of paddy, utilize vast rice fallows (>50% in Rabi) and raise rural incomes while improving nutrition.

Assam’s diversification imperative: the problem statement

• Production concentration elsewhere: NITI Aayog notes 10 states contribute ~91.28% of pulses output (from ~89.97% area), underscoring Northeast under-participation.
• Demand–supply gap: Rising incomes have lifted pulses consumption, but domestic supply lags; imports have risen ~15–20%.
• Mono-cropping risks: Heavy dependence on paddy exposes Assam to flood shocks, price volatility, and soil health decline (low nitrogen balance, stagnant factor productivity).
• Nutrition security: Pulses are protein-rich; mainstreaming them in local systems supports PM-POSHAN, ICDS and PDS nutrition goals.
  

What the National Pulses Mission brings?

• Area expansion: +35 lakh ha nationally by targeting rice fallows and diversifiable lands; intercropping and crop diversification promoted.
• Seed revolution: 88 lakh seed kits (free); 126 lakh quintals of certified seed; breeder seed by ICAR; foundation/certified seed by state/central agencies tracked on SATHI portal; multi-location trials to fit local ecologies; climate-resilient, pest-resistant, high-yielding varieties prioritized.
• Post-harvest value chains: 1,000 processing units with subsidy up to ₹25 lakh per unit; push for dehusking, grading, packaging near clusters.
• Convergence: Soil health, mechanisation, balanced fertiliser, plant protection, and extensive demonstrations by ICAR/KVKs/State Agri Dept.
  

Assam’s agro-ecological fit for pulses 

• Rice-fallow short windows: Greengram/blackgram (60–70 days) after Kharif paddy harvest; lentil/chickpea on light alluvials; pigeonpea on raised/sandy levees.
• District opportunities: Post-flood windows in Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Morigaon, Nagaon, Barpeta, Goalpara, Jorhat, Golaghat for Rabi moong/urd; upper Brahmaputra valley pockets for lentil/chana with residual moisture.
• System benefits: Pulses fix atmospheric nitrogen, improve soil structure, reduce urea dependence, and break pest–disease cycles of rice.
  

Key constraints to address in Assam

• Low seed replacement, limited access to premium, climate-resilient varieties.
• Short sowing windows between paddy harvest and Rabi onset; flood–drought variability.
• Mechanisation gaps for quick paddy residue management and pulses sowing.
• Thin procurement & market linkages; MSP realization uncertain.
• Storage, drying, grading constraints; weak FPO/SHG aggregation.
• Risk & credit bottlenecks for smallholders shifting from the “security” of paddy.
  

An Assam blueprint: from scheme to strategy

A. Push pulses in rice fallows (area + productivity)

• District micro-plans mapping rice fallows block-wise; time-bound targets for moong/urd/lentil/chickpea/pigeonpea.
• Front-loaded seed plan: Secure a fair share of certified seed kits; set 5-year rolling seed production plan with SAUs, AAU and private seed growers; track on SATHI.
• Residue & timeliness: Deploy happy seeders/multi-crop planters via custom hiring centres; promote zero/minimum till to meet narrow sowing windows.
• Climate-fit varieties: Fast-track short-duration, flood-escape, wilt-tolerant lines through the multi-location trials; KVK-led cluster demos.
  

B. Assured markets & incomes

• Cluster-based procurement: Notify MSP procurement centres in pulse clusters; tie-up with NAFED/FCI/state agencies; pilot price deficiency payments where procurement is thin.
• FPO-led aggregation: Build pulse FPOs/SHG federations for pooled input purchase, drying, grading, and direct B2B sales.
  

C. Value addition near farm-gate

• Processing corridor: Target at least 50–100 primary dal mills (phased) co-located with clusters; route ₹25 lakh subsidy to community-owned units; integrate solar dryers, color sorters.
• Institutional demand: Link pulses to PDS/PM-POSHAN/ICDS menus; long-term offtake MoUs to stabilise prices.

D. Finance, risk & extension

• Credit + insurance: Use AIF (infra), PMFBY (weather risk), KCC (working capital); simplify collateral for smallholders/tenant farmers.
• Extension at scale: KVK-panchayat demo grids, WhatsApp/chatbot advisories, women-centric training (SHGs) on post-harvest handling and value addition.
  

Action checklist for Assam

• Name 10 pulse districts and notify cluster blocks.
• Lock seed demand for 3 years; sign MOUs with ICAR/AAU/private seed.
• Place 1,000+ planters/drills in custom hiring centres before Rabi.
• Identify 20 MSP procurement points in first season.
• Sanction 25 dal mills in year-1 (target 100 by year-3).
• Add one pulse item in PM-POSHAN menus in pilot districts.
• Launch Pulses in Rice-Fallow campaign pre-harvest of Kharif paddy.
• Constitute State Pulses Mission Cell with fortnightly dashboard reviews.
• Notify price deficiency pilot in 2 districts if procurement lags.
• Annual Soil Health–Pulses drives (S, Zn, Mo, Rhizobium/PSB) to lift yields.
  

Anticipated outcomes 

• Higher cropping intensity, improved soil fertility, reduced fertiliser bills.
• Import substitution and nutrition gains (protein in public diets).
• Income diversification and risk reduction for smallholders.
• Emergence of local pulse value chains (processing, packaging, branding).
  

Way forward

• Treat the Mission as a state strategy, not a subsidy window.
• Institutionalise convergence: Agriculture, Cooperation/Marketing, Food & Civil Supplies, Education/ICDS, Rural Development (FPOs/SHGs), Industry (AIF).
• Measure what matters: area brought under pulses in rice fallows, seed replacement rate, MSP realisation %, processing capacity created, inclusion in public nutrition schemes.
• Build political and administrative ownership at district level with clear KPIs and farmer feedback loops.
  

Conclusion

Assam’s road to resilient agriculture runs through diversification beyond paddy. The National Pulses Mission offers the tools, finance and markets; Assam must supply institutional intent and execution. Converting rice fallows into pulse fields, and pulse clusters into value-added hubs, can lift incomes, strengthen nutrition, and anchor a climate-smart farming future for the state.

Sample Mains Question

“Assam’s dependence on paddy has plateaued both economically and ecologically. Discuss how the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses can be leveraged to convert rice fallows into pulse clusters, detailing institutional, market and infrastructure reforms required.”

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