NEW DELHI: The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on Wednesday approved a hike of R250-300 per quintal in the minimum support price (MSP) for copra, raising it to Rs 11,160-12,000 per quintal for for the 2024 season. The decision apparently is aimed at wooing farmers of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, which produce both milling and ball copra, ahead of the 2024 elections.
The decision along with others including construction of a new six-lane bridge across river Ganga between Patna and Saran in Bihar was taken at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Union minister Anurag Thakur said though copra prices have fallen globally, the government has decided to increase the MSP by 50% more than the production cost.
Milling copra is used to extract oil while ball copra is consumed as a dry fruit and used on a large scale for religious rituals across India, including in the South. The ball copra is cultivated in Karnataka, where the BJP is trying to win maximum seats in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls by wooing the farmers of the state. This season, the government procured a record 1.33 lakh tonnes of copra, at a cost of R1,493 crore, benefiting around 90,000 farmers.
Among other decisions, the Cabinet also approved the construction of a new 4.56 km long bridge across the Ganga between Patna and Saran in Bihar. The six-lane bridge on the Ganga will be built at a cost of R3,064.45 crore.
The Cabinet also granted ex-post facto approval to sign and ratify a Migration and Mobility Agreement with Italy that allows Indian students temporary residence in the European nation for up to one year after studies to gather professional experience.
Besides, the Cabinet discussion an agreement inked by Prasar Bharati with the Malaysian public broadcaster to promote cooperation in the fields of radio and television.
Cabinet nod to road widening in Tripura
The Union Cabinet approved for widening of the 135-km stretch of Khowai-Harina road in Tripura at R2,487 crore, facilitating better road connectivity between various parts of Tripura and to provide alternative access to Assam and Meghalaya from Tripura apart from the existing National Highway-8