Bhubaneswar, April 13 -- The Centre has issued an advisory to all states urging them to realign their bonus policies to promote the cultivation of pulses, oilseeds and millets, in a move aimed at strengthening India's long-term food and nutritional security. The communication, sent by the Department of Expenditure under the Ministry of Finance, is not a directive but a suggestive measure designed to align state-level policies with national priorities such as Aatmanirbharta (self-reliance), sustainable agriculture, and balanced crop production.

The advisory comes amid concerns that excessive incentives on crops like wheat and paddy in several states-especially in northern India-have led to skewed cropping patterns. Additional bonuses over...