Definition
PM-AASHA is a government framework designed to protect farmer incomes and support remunerative prices by combining procurement, price stabilisation, direct price-deficiency compensation, and market intervention tools.
Exam-ready points
- PSS uses physical procurement at MSP, mainly for pulses, oilseeds, and copra.
- PSF maintains buffer stocks of essential commodities like pulses, onions, and potatoes to reduce consumer price volatility.
- PDPS pays the difference between MSP and market price directly to farmers instead of physically procuring the crop.
- MIS is used for perishable crops when prices crash, especially for items such as tomatoes, onions, and potatoes.
- In the official PIB backgrounder dated 21 August 2026, PM-AASHA is shown as a single umbrella for these four support routes.
Common mistakes
- Do not assume every PM-AASHA component relies on physical procurement.
- Do not confuse MSP-backed procurement with price-deficiency payment; they work differently.
- Do not write MIS as a universal MSP system; it is used for selected perishable commodities in price-crash situations.
Difficulty
Foundation
Revision time
About 8 minutes
Self-check questions
- How is PDPS different from PSS under PM-AASHA?
- Why is MIS more relevant for perishable crops than standard MSP procurement?
- How does PM-AASHA combine farmer-income protection and consumer-price stability?