Center today directed the agencies, Nafed and SFAC, to gear up for procurement of the pulse at the minimum support price plus bonus, in Karnataka and other pules growing states.<br/><br/>A decision in this regard was taken at the inter- ministerial committee meeting headed by Consumer Affairs Secretary Hem Pande, in New Delhi today. <br/><br/>Meanwhile, Food and Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan said pulses prices have started falling in mandis. In case of moong (green gram), prices have gone below the MSP level in some places.He said, the pulses will be procured at the MSP rate in order to protect the interest of farmers, who have sown lentils in a big way that production is seen at 20 million tonnes. <br/><br/>Mr Paswan said wholesale pulses prices are falling sharply as hoarders are offloading the stock ahead of harvesting of new crop and more imports. <br/><br/>The IMC reviewed the pulses prices and directed the agencies Nafed and Small Farmers' Agribusiness Consortium – SFAC to prepare a road map for procurement of kharif pulses, the arrival of which will begin from October. To start with, the Committee has asked the agencies to procure moong in Karnataka and Rajasthan, where arrival has begun in small quantities and prices are reported to have dipped below the MSP rate. <br/><br/>The IMC also asked the agencies to set up adequate procurement centres in key pulses growing states such as Karnataka and Madhya Pradesh, where the area under pulses has gone up significantly this year.<br/><br/>Yesterday, the PMO had also reviewed the pulses price issue and directed the Consumer Affairs Ministry to ensure farmers get the MSP rate.