<span style="color: #222222;">The Union Cabinet today approved new Umbrella Scheme 'Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan, PM-AASHA. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Scheme is aimed at ensuring remunerative prices to farmers for their produce as announced in the Union Budget for 2018. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Briefing media in New Delhi, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said, the step is a major boost to the pro-farmers initiative of the Government. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Mr Singh said, the new Umbrella Scheme is comprised of Price Support Scheme, Price Deficiency Payment Scheme and Pilot of Private Procurement and Stockist Scheme.</span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">This step aims at protecting the farmers' income which is expected to go a long way towards the welfare of farmers. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The government has already increased the MSP of Kharif crops by following the principle of 1.5 times the cost of production. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">It is expected that the increase in MSP will be translated to farmer's income by way of robust procurement mechanism in coordination with the State Governments. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs has also approved electrification of remaining un-electrified broad gauge routes of Indian Railways. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Briefing media after the Cabinet meeting in New Delhi, Railway Minister Piyush Goyal said, with this a total of 13,675 kilometres of un-electrified routes will be electrified at a cost of 12,000 crore rupees. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">The Railway Minister said, the decision will lead to significant benefits in the areas of safety, capacity, speed, energy security and sustainability in the railways. </span><br />'' <br />'' <span style="color: #222222;">Mr. Goyal Said, it will also generate direct employment of about 20.4 crore man-days during the period of construction. </span><br />''