Cabinet Clears Setting Up of Online National Agriculture Market

A decision in this regard was taken at a meeting of the Union Cabinet, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"The proposal on the creation of a National Agriculture Market has been approved by the Cabinet," sources said.

Currently, farmers are restricted to selling their produce at mandis or market committees that charge various taxes on producers.

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Sources said an online platform would be set up wherein farmers will be able to sell and buy fruits, vegetables and other produce from across the country.

An agency would be set up to oversee online trading and to ensure that transactions take place smoothly, they said.

It will also focus on creating go-downs and facilitating transportation of the farm produce after the online trade, sources added.

The move is expected to give choice to farmers to sell the farm produce both in physical mandis or online platform.

The freer access to sell via online trade is likely to boost their incomes and improve availability, moderating price rise.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday also inaugurated the "Digital India Week" as part of the larger initiative to empower the people and extend services better with the use of information technology and its tools.

The Prime Minister also unveiled a logo for Digital India, an umbrella programme that seeks to transform India into a digitally-empowered, knowledge economy with a host of initiatives for a synchronized and coordinated engagement of the government and its agencies.