The government today permitted National Consumer Cooperative Federation, Central Warehousing Corporation and other public sector agencies to procure oilseeds and pulses in addition to NAFED. The objective is to ensure that farmers get the minimum support price .The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs approved the proposal at a meeting held in New Delhi presided over by the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh.At present NAFED, a national level cooperative marketing organisation is the sole designated central nodal agency for procurement of oilseeds and pulses. This would also create a more competitive environment for procurement operations resulting into better quality of service to the farmers and lower cost to the Government. The government has already taken several steps to improve productivity and production of oilseeds and pulses that include programmes such as National Food Security Mission and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna.