Lok Sabha Question No. 5860 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-04-03
Subject: Availability of Seeds at Lower Prices
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: P.R. SUNDARAM, HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT, SUPRIYA SADANAND SULE, RAJEEV SHANKARRAO SATAV, DHANANJAY BHIMRAO MAHADIK, JAYAKUMAR JAYAVARDHAN

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5860

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 3 RD  APRIL, 2018

## AVAILABILITY OF SEEDS AT LOWER PRICES

5860.     SHRI P.R. SUNDARAM: DR. HEENA VIJAYKUMAR GAVIT: SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE: SHRI SATAV RAJEEV: SHRI DHANANJAY MAHADIK: DR. J. JAYAVARDHAN:

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

- (a) whether the Government has launched any scheme to provide seeds at lower prices to the farmers living below the poverty line, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the number of such farmers benefited by the scheme during the last three years and the current year;
- (c) whether the Government has utilized the services of Non-Governmental Organisations to provide seeds to the farmers, if so, the details of such organisations;
- (d) whether the Government has fixed any time period for these organisations to execute the task; and
- (e) if  so,  the  details thereof and the other steps taken by the Government to provide high yielding  seeds,  fertilizers  and  irrigation  facilities  to  farmers  at  lower  prices  in  order  to  make agriculture a profitable profession in the country?

## 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) & (b): Yes,  Madam. The existing Seed Village Programme under National Mission on Agriculture Extension and Technology to upgrade the quality of farm saved seeds by providing Foundation Seed/Certified Seed for one acre per farmer including the farmers living below the poverty  line  @50%  subsidy  for  cereal  crops  and  60%  subsidy  for  pulses,  oilseeds,  green manure and fodder crops is already implemented.

The details of number of farmers benefitted during the last three years and the current year are as under:

| Year    |   Number of farmers benefited |
|---------|-------------------------------|
| 2014-15 |                       3556857 |
| 2015-16 |                       2120235 |
| 2016-17 |                       1645924 |
| 2017-18 |                       1992285 |
| Total   |                       9315301 |

- (c): No, Madam.

(d): Question does not arise.

(e): To  make  agriculture  profitable  steps  had  been  taken  by  the  Government  through existing  various  crop  development  programmes/schemes  viz:  National  Food  Security  Mission (NFSM), Bringing Green Revolution in Eastern India (BGREI), National Mission on Oilseed & Oilpalm  (NMOOP),  Rashtriya  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (RKVY)    and  Mission  for  Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) assistance/subsidy are provided to high yielding seeds for making available to farmers and the details are as under :

## Quantity in Lakh Quintals

| Year    |   Production/Availability |
|---------|---------------------------|
| 2014-15 |                    351.77 |
| 2015-16 |                    343.52 |
| 2016-17 |                    380.29 |
| 2017-18 |                    419.41 |

To  ensure  adequate  availability  of  subsidized  fertilizers  the  month-wise  demand  is assessed and projected by the Department of Agriculture, Co-operation and Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW) in consultation with the State Governments before commencement of each cropping season.    Accordingly,    the  Fertilizers  is  allocated  in  sufficient  and  adequate  quantities  to  the States by issuing monthly supply plan and continuously monitors the availability.

The  Government  is  implementing  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana  (PMKSY) (from 01.07.2015) Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) has two major segments i.e. 'Micro-irrigation' including efficient water application systems such as drip and sprinkler irrigation systems, and 'Other Interventions' which include micro-water storage structures, drought proofing and ground water replenishment measures, restoration potential of existing water bodies, conveyance and distribution of water are being promoted.  District Irrigation Plans (DIPs) shall be the cornerstone for planning and implementation of PMKSY.  So far, all 675 nos. of DIPs have been prepared.

In 2017-18 an amount of Rs.2662.91 crore has been released for micro irrigation and other interventions.  65195 water harvesting structure has been created and 110513 ha area brought under protective irrigation potential.

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