Lok Sabha Question No. 452 (STARRED), answered on 2018-03-27
Subject: Reforms in Agrarian Sector
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: GEETHA KOTHAPALLI

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

## LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 452

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 27 TH  MARCH, 2018

## REFORMS IN AGRARIAN SECTOR

## *452.    SHRIMATI KOTHAPALLI GEETHA:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND  FARMERS  WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããè be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the disbursement of relief to the farmers is a tiresome process, adding to farmers'  distress  and  payments  are  chronically/frequently  delayed,  if  so,  the  details thereof and the reasons therefor;
- (b) whether irregularities/corruption in relief packages for farmers is pervasive across the  country,  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  reasons  therefor  along  with  the  action taken/proposed to be taken on such complaints received so far;
- (c) whether  in  the  present  system  to  measure  crop  loss  and  calculate  relief,  the information provided by the village patwari becomes the basis for loss estimation and relief but the patwari reports losses by 'eye estimation', if so, the details thereof and the corrective steps taken/proposed to be taken in this regard; and
- (d) whether the  Government has suggested to  the States  that  there  is  a  need  for urgent reforms in the agrarian sector in the country, if so, the details thereof and action taken/being taken by the States in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããè (SHRI RADHA MOHAN SINGH) (a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (d)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 452   DUE FOR REPLY ON 27 TH  MARCH, 2018.

(a) & (b):     It is primarily the responsibility of the State Governments concerned to take necessary  measures  in  the  wake  of  natural  calamities,  including  drought.  For  such purpose,  the  States  have  ready  availability  of  funds  in  their  State  Disaster  Response Fund  (SDRF),  to  which  contribution  is  made  by  the  Government  of  India  and  State Governments concerned. The Government of India extends financial, logistic and other support. Additional assistance, over and above SDRF, is considered from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF), for natural calamities of severe nature, in accordance with  the  established  procedure  and  on  submission  of  Memorandum  for  Central assistance by the affected State, also taking into account the extant items and norms for assistance from SDRF and NDRF.

In  accordance  with  the  Government  of  India  (Allocation  of  Business)  Rules, Department  of  Agriculture, Cooperation  and  Farmers  Welfare  is concerned  with 'coordination of relief measures necessitated by drought, hailstorm, pest attack and cold wave/frost'. Ministry of Home Affairs is concerned with work relating to management of other natural calamities as well the items and norms of expenditure for assistance from SDRF and NDRF.

The existing norms for assistance from SDRF/NDRF,  inter-alia, includes assistance towards input subsidy for crop loss of 33% and above for all categories of farmers, at the rate of  Rs.  6800/-  per  hectare (ha.)  for  rainfed  areas  and  restricted  to sown  areas,  Rs.  13,500/-  per  ha.  in  assured  irrigated  areas,  subject  to  minimum assistance not less than Rs.1,000/- and restricted to sown areas and Rs. 18,000/- per ha.  for  all  types  of  perennial  crops,  subject  to  minimum  assistance  not  less  than  Rs. 2,000/-  and restricted to sown areas.

-2-

(c)  &  (d):        The  Department  of  Agriculture,  Cooperation  and  Farmers  Welfare (DAC&FW) updated and revised the Manual for Drought Management in 2016 (Manual), taking  cognizance  of  improved,  more  objective  and  science  based  parameters  for drought monitoring and assessment.  The revised Manual is meant to serve as a guide for  the  agencies  engaged  in  the  prevention,  mitigation  and  management  of  drought. Adherence to the prescription in the Manual in matters of determination and declaration of  drought  has  been  made  mandatory  by  the  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  (MHA).      The Manual became effective from the Kharif 2017. As per the provisions of the Manual, the Ground Truthing (GT) needs to be conducted in each of the 10% of the drought affected villages,  selected  on  a  random  basis.  In  each  of  the  selected  villages,  representative locations may be inspected for data collection.

MHA  has  advised  all  the  State  Governments  to  ensure  that  all  individual beneficiary-oriented  assistance  is  mandatorily/necessarily  disbursed  through  Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) into the account of the beneficiary under SDRF/NDRF with effect from 1 st April, 2017. DBT is an attempt to ensure a better and timelier delivery of benefits to the targeted beneficiary.

*****