The government today gave a nod to increase the Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for rabi crops for marketing season 2025-26. Information And Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw briefed the media about the Cabinet decisions taken under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.  The Minister said, rapeseed and mustard MSP has witnessed a maximum increase of 300 rupees per quintal followed by Lentil at 275 rupees per quintal. He said, gram MSP has increased 210 rupees per quintal and wheat 150 rupees per quintal. Mr Vaishnaw said, the government has increased the MSP of Rabi Crops to ensure remunerative prices to the growers for their produce.

Mr. Vaishnaw said, the government also approved the construction of the Varanasi-Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyaya multi-tracking project including a new rail-cum-road bridge across the Ganga River in Uttar Pradesh. The Minister said, this project will ease connectivity, minimize logistics costs, reduce oil imports and lower CO2 emissions. The project will generate direct employment for about ten lakh human-days during construction. He said the project cost will be two thousand 642 crore rupees and will be completed in four years.

The Union Cabinet approved three per cent increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) for  Central Government employees and Dearness Relief (DR) for pensioners. Mr Vaishnaw said, an increase in DA and DR will benefit over 49 lakh central government employees and over 64 lakh pensioners. The combined impact on the exchequer on account of both DA and DR will be over nine thousand 448 crore rupees per annum.