Lok Sabha Question No. 363 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-18
Subject: Farmers Welfare Schemes
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: J. JAYASINGH THIYAGARAJ NATTERJEE, PRATAPRAO GANPATRAO JADHAV, JITENDRA CHAUDHURY, C. MAHENDRAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.363

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 18 TH  JULY, 2017

## FARMERS WELFARE SCHEMES

363.   SHRI J.J.T. NATTERJEE:

SHRI PRATAPRAO JADHAV:

SHRI JITENDRA CHAUDHURY:

SHRI C. MAHENDRAN:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी be pleased to state:

- (a) whether a number of farmers welfare schemes are currently under implementation in the country and if so, the details thereof and the achievement made thereunder;
- (b) whether the benefit  of farmers welfare  schemes  are not reaching small farmers of the country and if so, the reasons therefor;
- (c) the  measures  being  taken  to  ensure  that  the  benefits  of  said  schemes  reaches  to  all categories of farmers in the country; and
- (d) whether  the  Government  is  planning  to  initiate  any  new  farmers  welfare    schemes  to check ever increasing farmers suicides in the country and if so, the details thereof ?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI  PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

(a) to (d): The  Government of India is according high priority for  welfare of the farmers and is implementing several farmers' welfare schemes to revitalize agriculture sector and to improve their economic conditions. The Government has rolled out a number of new initiatives like Soil Health Card Scheme, Neem Coated Urea, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), National Agriculture Market (e-NAM), Pradhan Mantri Fasal  Bima  Yojana  (PMFBY)  and  Interest  Subvention  Scheme.    These  schemes  are  for  the benefit of all farmers. The details of the schemes are as below:

## (i) Soil Health Card Scheme:

Launched  in  2015,  the  scheme  has  been  introduced  to  assist  State  Governments  to issue Soil Health Cards to all farmers in the country.  The Soil Health Cards provide information to farmers on nutrient status of their soil alongwith recommendation on appropriate dosage of nutrients to be applied for improving soil health and its fertility.

As on 11.7.2017, against target of 253 lakh soil samples, all 253 lakh soil samples have been collected and 245 lakh (97%) samples have been tested.  Against target of 12 crore Soil Health Cards, so far 9 crore (76%) cards have been distributed to farmers.

## (ii) Neem Coated Urea (NCU):

Scheme being promoted to regulate use of urea, enhance availability of nitrogen to the crop  and  reduce  cost  of  fertilizer  application.    NCU  slows  down  the  release  of  fertilizer  and makes  it  available  to  the  crop  in  an  effective  manner.  The  entire  quantity  of  domestically manufactured and imported urea is now neem coated. The reports from field are positive. The expected saving is 10% of urea consumption, thereby resulting in reduced cost of cultivation and improved soil health management.

## (iii) Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana  (PKVY):

Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) is being implemented with a view to promote organic farming in  the  country.    This  will  improve  soil  health  and  organic  matter  content  and increase net income of the farmer so as to realise premium prices. Under this scheme, an area of 5 lakh acre is targeted to be covered though 10,000 clusters of 50 acre each, from the year 2015-16 to 2017-18.

So far 7208 clusters have been formed and remaining  clusters would be formed during 2017-18.

## (iv) Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) :

Launched on 1st July, 2015 with the motto of 'Har Khet Ko Paani', the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) is being implemented to expand cultivated area with assured irrigation, reduce wastage of water and improve water use efficiency. PMKSY not only focuses on creating sources for assured irrigation, but also creating protective irrigation by harnessing rain  water  at  micro  level  through  'Jal  Sanchay'  and  'Jal  Sinchan'.    Micro  irrigation  is  also incentivized through subsidy to ensure 'Per drop-More crop'.  The target under micro-irrigation for the year 2016-17 was 8 lakh ha. against which 8.39 lakh ha have been covered.

## (v) National Agriculture Market (e-NAM):

The  National  Agriculture  Market  scheme  (e-NAM)  envisages  initiation  of  e-marketing platform at national level and to support creation of infrastructure to enable e-marketing in 585 regulated  markets  across  the  country  by  March  2018.  This  innovative  market  process  is revolutionizing  agri  markets  by  ensuring  better  price  discovery,  bringing  in  transparency  and competition to enable farmers to get improved remuneration for their produce moving towards 'One Nation One Market'.  A target of integrating 400 markets to e-NAM had been set for March, 2017 against which 455 markets in 13 States have been on boarded as on 30.6.2017.  As on 2.7.2017, 47.95 lakh farmers and 91,500 traders have registered on e-NAM portal.

## (vi) Pradhan  Mantri  Fasal  Bima  Yojana  (PMFBY)/  Restructured  Weather  Based  Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS):

Pradhan  Mantri  Fasal  Bima  Yojana  (PMFBY)  &  Restructured  Weather  Based  Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) were launched from Kharif 2016 to provide comprehensive crop insurance  coverage  from  pre-sowing  to  post  harvest  losses  against  non-preventable  natural risks.   These  schemes  are  only  risk  mitigation  tools  available  to  farmers  at  extremely  low premium rates payable by farmers at 2% for Kharif crops, 1.5% for Rabi Crop and 5% for annual commercial/horticultural crops.  The balance of actuarial premium is shared by the Central and State Governments on 50 : 50 basis.  The schemes are voluntary for States and available in areas  and  crops  that  are  notified  by  the  State  Governments.     Further,  the  schemes  are compulsory for loanee farmers and voluntary for non-loanee farmers.

During  Kharif  2016  season,  a  total  of  23  States  implemented  both  PMFBY  (21)  and RWBCS (12) and during Rabi 2016-17, 24 States and 3 Union Territories implemented PMFBY (25) and RWBCIS (9).    Overall coverage of both the schemes is 401.52 lakh farmers and 385 lakh ha. area insured for a sum of Rs. 133106 crore in Kharif 2016 and 172.67 lakh farmers and 195 lakh ha. area insured for a sum of Rs. 71696 crore during Rabi 2016-17 season.

## (vii)    Interest Subvention Scheme (ISS):

The  Government  provides  interest  subvention  of  3%  on  short-term  crop  loans  up  to Rs.3.00 lakh.  Presently, loan is available to farmers at an interest rate of 7% per annum, which gets reduced to 4% on prompt repayment.  Further, under Interest Subvention Scheme 201617,  in  order  to  provide  relief  to  the  farmers  on  occurrence  of  natural  calamities,  the  interest subvention of 2% shall continue to be available to banks for the first year on the restructured amount. In order to discourage distress sale by farmers and to encourage them to store their produce in warehouses  against negotiable warehouse  receipts, the benefit of interest subvention will be available to small and marginal farmers having Kisan Credit Card for a further period of upto six months post harvest on the same rate as available to crop loan.

Agriculture is a State subject and the State Governments are primarily responsible for the growth  and  development  of  agriculture  sector  in  their  respective  States.  The  Government supplements the efforts of States through appropriate policy measures and budgetary support. Presently  the  approach  of  the  Government  of  India  has    shifted  from  production  centric  to income  centric platform in the    agriculture  sector  and  the  above  schemes  are  being implemented for making farming viable.

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