Cabinet Raises Rabi MSPs, Clears Rs 1.86 Lakh Crore Green Energy Corridor and AI Traffic Grid for Delhi

The Union Cabinet on Wednesday approved three decisions that together touch farm incomes, the power grid and daily commutes in the capital. Minimum support prices for all six rabi crops were raised for the 2027-28 marketing season, a Rs 1.86 lakh crore third phase of the Green Energy Corridor was cleared, and Delhi Police got the go-ahead for a Rs 1,789.52 crore intelligent traffic management system. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw announced the decisions at a briefing after the meeting.

A clear tilt away from wheat

The most telling number in the MSP list is the smallest one. Wheat, the country's main rabi cereal, gets an increase of just Rs 25 per quintal, taking its support price to Rs 2,610. By contrast, oilseeds and pulses received much larger hikes:

• Safflower: up Rs 675 to Rs 7,215 per quintal, the biggest increase
• Rapeseed and mustard: up Rs 413 to Rs 6,613
• Lentil (masur): up Rs 390 to Rs 7,390
• Barley: up Rs 136 to Rs 2,286
• Gram: up Rs 83 to Rs 5,958

The government said MSPs continue to be set at no less than 1.5 times the all-India weighted average cost of production. Wheat still carries the widest margin over cost, at 106 per cent, followed by mustard at 96 per cent and lentil at 92 per cent. Gram, barley and safflower sit at 59, 58 and 50 per cent respectively.

The pattern is deliberate. India imports large volumes of edible oil and pulses, and the Centre has repeatedly said it wants farmers to shift some acreage away from cereals. A token wheat hike alongside sizeable jumps for mustard and masur sends that signal to growers just ahead of rabi sowing, though whether it changes planting decisions will depend on procurement on the ground, which has historically been far stronger for wheat than for oilseeds.

Green Energy Corridor, phase three

The second decision is the largest by outlay. Green Energy Corridor Phase III carries a total cost of Rs 1,86,405 crore and is due for completion by 2032-33. About Rs 1,36,378 crore will go into strengthening intra-state transmission networks, while Rs 50,000 crore is set aside for 50 GWh of battery energy storage. The Centre will contribute Rs 54,082 crore in financial assistance.

The corridor is designed to evacuate up to 135 GW of renewable power across states and Union Territories. The government linked it to its target of 900 GW of installed non-fossil capacity by 2035, arguing that transmission has to be built ahead of new solar and wind projects to avoid curtailment. New greenfield lines will be awarded through tariff-based competitive bidding, while upgrades to existing networks will be done on a cost-plus basis. The storage component is meant to smooth the gap between daytime solar output and evening demand.

A traffic brain for Delhi

The third approval covers an Intelligent Traffic Management System for Delhi, to be implemented by Delhi Police over 24 months in three phases, followed by five years of operation and maintenance. It will span 42 major corridors, with 1,092 adaptive signal locations and 1,029 enforcement points.

Signals will adjust timings to real-time traffic and coordinate along corridors, with green corridors for ambulances. Automated cameras will detect red-light jumping, speeding, wrong-side driving, illegal parking and riding without helmets or seat belts. Delhi has around 71 lakh active registered vehicles, and the government said vehicle numbers are growing faster than road space. C-DAC will act as the technical consultant.

This is an original summary based on public reporting. See our editorial policy for how we source, write, and correct our stories.