Can govt really pay the farmer much better prices promised in the Budget?

Niti Aayog is evaluating several models; how effective they will turn out to be is another question

How will the government implement its Budget promise to pay farmers one and a half times the cost of their production for all crops? Approving desk thumps greeted the announcement, but MPs from the National Democratic Alliance may not have been aware of the challenges embedded in this commitment. Although the Centre routinely announces a minimum support price (MSP) for at least 23 crops, the procurement infrastructure exists only for wheat and rice via the Food Corporation of India (FCI).

Replicating this cumbersome process for all crops at short notice is impossible. So how will the government make good