Govt lifts curbs on all pulses exports

To enable farmers to get better prices, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) has removed the curbs on export of all types of pulses.

The Union Cabinet, which too met on Thursday, allowed the constitution of a National Anti-Profiteering Authority (NAA) to enable the benefits of input tax credits and reduced GST rates to flow to consumers.

It also approved an increase in the carpet area of affordable houses eligible for interest subsidy under the Credit Linked Subsidy Scheme (CLSS) for the Middle Income Group (MIG) under the Pradhan Mantri AwasYojana (Urban).

While allowing exports, the CCEA empowered the Committee of Secretaries on pulses to review the export/import policy on the food crop and consider measures such as quantitative restrictions, prior registration and changes in import duties depending on domestic production/demand, domestic and international prices as well as trade volumes.

In September, the Centre had lifted the ban on export of tur, urad and moong dal after the market prices for pulses fell bellow the MSP. The action on the NAA comes on the heels of the GST Council announcing rate cuts for 178 items from 28 per cent to 18 per cent. Several items in the 18 per cent tax slab were moved to 12 per cent.

On the CLSS for MIG, the press release said that under the MIG I category, the carpet area is being increased up to 120 square metre from 90 square metre; in the MIG II category it will be increased to 150 sq.m from 110 sq.m. The changes will be effective from January 1, when the CLSS for MIG took efffect.

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