Lok Sabha Question No. 5104 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-27
Subject: Remunerative Prices for Agricultural Produce
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5104

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 27 TH  MARCH, 2018

## REMUNERATIVE PRICES FOR AGRICULTURAL PRODUCE

5104.  SHRI SUSHIL KUMAR SINGH:

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

- (a) the  details of  the Commission constituted/recommendations made by the Government so  far  to  provide  remunerative  prices  over  and  above  the  farmers  input  cost  to  generate employment  opportunities  in  agriculture  sector  and  to  promote  scientific  methods  of  farming among the farmers in the country;
- (b) the number of recommendations of various committees constituted by the Government which  has  been  implemented  so  far  for  the  welfare  of  farmers  and  to  provide  remunerative prices over and above the input costs to increase income of the farmers in the country and the number of such proposals pending with the Government;
- (c) the details of pending agriculture projects in the country particularly in Bihar during the last three years and the current year; and
- (d)  the  details  of  the  funds  allocated  and  spent  by  the  Government  for  the  said  purpose, State/Union Territory-wise?

## 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): From  time  to  time,  commissions/committees  have  been  constituted  by  the Government for agricultural development, to provide remunerative prices and to increase the income  of  farmers.  The  National  Commission  on  Farmers  (NCF)  was  constituted  in  2004  to recommend policies, programmes and measures for agricultural development and improvement of  economic  well-being  and  standards  of  living  of  the  farming  community.  One  of  the recommendation of the NCF was that minimum support price (MSP) should be at least 50 per cent  higher  than  cost  of  production.  A  Committee  was  constituted  in  2013  under  the Chairmanship  of  Prof.  Ramesh  Chand  with  a  view  to  examine  the  methodological  issues  in fixing MSP. One of the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Committee was to examine the cost concepts for the purpose of fixing MSPs and suggest various factors for improvement so as to make it more realistic. An Inter-Ministerial Committee was constituted on 13.04.2016 under the Chairmanship  of  Chief  Executive  Officer,  National  Rainfed  Area  Authority,  Department  of Agriculture,  Cooperation  and  Farmers  Welfare  to  examine  issues  relating  to  doubling  of farmers'  income  and  recommend  a  strategy  to  achieve  the  same  by  the  year  2022  through various initiatives of the Government like Soil Health Cards (SHC), production and availability of quality  seeds,  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchai  Yojana  (PMKSY),  e-National  Agriculture  Market (e-NAM), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and promotion of allied activities like

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dairying, poultry, beekeeping and fisheries. The Union Budget for 2018-19 has announced the pre-determined principle to keep MSPs at levels of one and half times the cost of production. The  Budget  for  2018-19  has  also  indicated  that  NITI  Aayog  in  consultation  with  central  and state governments will put in place a fool proof mechanism so that farmers will get adequate price for their produce.

(c) & (d): The Government has launched Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) scheme in 2007 for ensuring holistic  development of  agriculture  and allied  sectors by allowing states  to choose their  own  agriculture  and  allied  sector  development  activities  as  per  the  district/state agriculture plan considering their requirement in the given topographic and climatic conditions. The Cabinet has approved the continuation of the ongoing Centrally Sponsored Scheme (State Plans) - RKVY as Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana- Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied  Sector  Rejuvenation  (RKVY-RAFTAAR) for three  years i.e. 2017-18 to 2019-20 with  a financial allocation of Rs. 15,722 crore with broad objectives of making farming a remunerative economic activity through strengthening the farmers' effort, risk mitigation and promoting agribusiness  entrepreneurship.  Under  RKVY-RAFTAAR,  major  focus  is  on  pre  &  post-harvest infrastructure, besides promoting agri-entrepreneurship and innovations.

The details of ongoing agriculture projects under RKVY in country including Bihar State and the funds allocated and spent by the Government for the last three years and current year i.e from 2014-15 to 2017-18 are at Annexure I to Annexure IV.

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