Collector Jitendra Yadav conducts surprise inspection at Tumdibod cooperative; farmers encouraged to shift towards low water-consuming crops
Published on: March 28, 2026
By: BTNI
Location: Rajnandgaon, India
Procurement of pulses and oilseeds at Minimum Support Price (MSP) under the Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) has commenced in Rajnandgaon district, aimed at ensuring better income security for farmers and promoting crop diversification.
District Collector Jitendra Yadav conducted a surprise inspection at the Tumdibod Service Cooperative Society procurement centre to review arrangements and ensure smooth implementation of the scheme. The Collector emphasized that farmers visiting procurement centres must not face any inconvenience and directed officials to maintain transparent and timely operations.
During the inspection, the Collector interacted with farmer Kamal Narayan Sahu from village Darrabandha, who arrived at the centre to sell chickpea (gram) produce. The farmer informed officials that he shifted from paddy cultivation to pulses due to lower water requirements and better profitability. Chickpea is being procured at an MSP of ₹5,875 per quintal, significantly higher than the MSP of summer paddy, resulting in improved farmer earnings.
Officials reviewed weighing systems, availability of gunny bags, record maintenance, storage, transportation arrangements, and payment mechanisms. Instructions were issued to ensure efficient procurement, prompt payments, and strict adherence to transparency norms.
The Collector highlighted that procurement under the PM-AASHA scheme will not only enhance farmers’ income but also promote sustainable agriculture by encouraging cultivation of low water-consuming crops such as gram, lentil, and mustard instead of water-intensive paddy during summer months. Improving crop rotation, he added, would strengthen agricultural sustainability and water conservation efforts in rural areas.
Under the scheme, 15 service cooperative societies in the district have been notified as procurement centres for Rabi crops including chickpea, lentil, and mustard. Additionally, an FPO — Swarn Upaj Mahila Krishak Producer Organisation, Sukuldaihan — has also been authorized for procurement operations.
The procurement period has been fixed from March 1 to May 30, 2026 for chickpea and lentil, and February 15 to May 15, 2026 for mustard. MSP rates have been set at ₹5,875 per quintal for chickpea, ₹7,000 for lentil, and ₹6,200 for mustard.
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So far, 661 farmers have registered 974 hectares under chickpea cultivation, 324 farmers have registered 214 hectares for lentil, and 122 farmers have registered 120 hectares for mustard procurement. The district has already procured 238 quintals of chickpea and 265 quintals of lentil at MSP.
Farmers stated that after harvesting paddy in the Kharif season, they are now cultivating gram followed by short-duration crops like moong and urad, enabling them to harvest three crops annually and significantly increase income levels.
During the visit, Deputy Director Agriculture Tikam Singh Thakur, Assistant Director Agriculture Dr. Virendra Anant, along with local farmers and rural representatives were present.
Separately, applications have also been invited until April 17, 2026, for contractual recruitment to various district and block-level positions including Block Project Manager, Regional Coordinator, Accountant, Office Assistant-cum-Data Entry Operator, Accounts-cum-MIS Assistant, and Peon posts. Interested candidates may submit applications through registered or speed post to the District Panchayat Office, Rajnandgaon.
