Uttar Pradesh gets major agriculture and rural development package at Shivraj-Yogi meeting

Lucknow: The Centre has extended the Minimum Support Price (MSP) procurement period for wheat, gram and masoor in Uttar Pradesh till July 8, 2026, while also approving 6,18,482 rural houses for the state under the next phase of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G). The announcements were made during a high-level review meeting between Union Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at Yojana Bhavan in Lucknow on Thursday. The meeting focused on agriculture, rural housing, climate preparedness and long-term development planning. MSP Procurement Extended The extension covers wheat, gram and masoor procured under the Rabi Marketing Season 2026-27. The procurement window, which was scheduled to end on June 24, will now remain open until July 8. According to the Centre, the decision was taken following a request from the Uttar Pradesh government to ensure that farmers facing delayed arrivals, adverse weather, mandi congestion or weighing-related issues do not miss the opportunity to sell their produce at MSP. The extension is expected to benefit a large number of farmers across the state and reduce the risk of distress sales. Scientific Agriculture Roadmap Under Preparation The meeting also discussed the...