Explain the steps taken by the government in developing rural markets.

The government has taken following measures to improve the rural markets:

1. Introduction of the concept of regulated markets : The government has tried to regulate the markets to create an orderly and transparent marketing condition.

2. Provision of physical infrastrucutre facilities : The government has tried to provide infrastructure facilities to farmers like roads,

railways, warehouses, godowns, cold storage and processing units. The current infrastructure facilities are quite inadequate to meet the growing demand and need to be improved.

3. Cooperative marketing : The government has taken the initiative to promote cooperative marketing inspired by the success of milk cooperatives in transforming the social and economic landscape of Gujarat and some other parts of the country.

4. Introduction of policy instruments : The government has introduced certain instruments to protect the income of the farmers which are as follows:

1. Assurance of minimum support prices for 24 agricultrual products.

2. Maintenance of buffer stocks of wheat and rice.

3. Distribution of food grains and sugar through public distribution system.