Cabinet Secretariat flags delay in pulse research scheme, Agri Ministry says 'expediting' it, Pg1

Key Highlights:

• The Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses, launched in October 2025, has not yet approved any research projects despite a Rs 500 crore allocation for its first year.
• The Cabinet Secretariat flagged this delay and urged the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare to complete approval processes by November 15.
• The Ministry stated that eligible projects are expected to be sanctioned by the end of October 2026, ahead of the November 15 deadline.
• The mission aims to increase India's total pulse production by 45% to 350 lakh metric tonnes by 2030-31.

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Detailed Insights:

• The Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses was approved by the Union Cabinet on October 1, 2025, and formally launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on October 11, 2025.
• Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman initially announced the mission in her Budget speech on February 1, 2025.
• The mission is designed to run for six years, from 2025-26 to 2030-31, with a total financial outlay of Rs 11,440 crore.
• Its core objectives include developing climate-resilient seeds, enhancing protein content, increasing productivity, improving post-harvest storage, and ensuring remunerative prices for farmers.
• The mission targets a 13% increase in cultivation area to 310 lakh hectares and a 28% improvement in average yield to 1,130 kg/hectare by 2030-31.
• The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare received 419 research proposals from various institutions, including ICAR institutes and State Agricultural Universities.
• A National-level Research and Development Committee is appraising these proposals based on scientific merit, relevance, and potential for field application.
• According to the Third Advance Estimates for 2025-26, pulse area, production, and productivity have already shown initial increases.

Key Concepts Involved:

• Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses: A government initiative aimed at achieving self-sufficiency in pulse production through focused research and development.
• Cabinet Secretariat: The principal coordinating agency of the Government of India, responsible for administering government business and providing secretarial assistance to the Cabinet.
• ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research): An autonomous organization under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare responsible for coordinating agricultural education and research in India.