What is e-NAM scheme?

The e-NAM scheme is a central sector scheme which aims to integrate mandis or markers for farmers on a virtual platform. Under the scheme, States and Union Territories have carried out the following mandatory reforms-
Single trading license valid across the state or union territory, single-point levy of market fee across the state or union territory and provision for e-trading/e-auction as a mode of price discovery; integration of wholesale markets under the e-NAM platform.
A total of 585 wholesale regulated markets have been integrated under the e-NAM platform and further, 415 wholesale regulated markets under the e-NAM platform have been approved to date.
e-NAM stands for National Agricultural Market was founded on 14th April 2016 by the Ministry of Agriculture, Government of India.
Why in news?
The Union Minister of agriculture and farmer’s welfare, Narendra Singh Tomar in a written reply to a question in Rajya Sabha on Friday, 13th December 2019 informed that as on 8th December 2019, a total of 1,65,77,210 farmers have been registered on the National Agricultural Market (e-NAM) out of which 30,10,894 farmers are from the state of Madhya Pradesh.