Lok Sabha Question No. 576 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-02-06
Subject: Impact of Drought on Agricultural Production
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: MALLIKARJUN  KHARGE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.576

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 6 TH  FEBRUARY, 2018

## IMPACT OF DROUGHT ON AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTION

## 576. SHRI MALLIKARJUN KHARGE:

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

- (a) whether the Government has assessed the impact of drought and uneven rainfall/flood on   agricultural  production and food security scenario in the country including Karnataka during the current year and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  chalked  out  any  action/contingency  plan  to  tackle  the situation and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) whether  the  Government  proposes  to  impart  training  to  the  farmers  and  make  them aware of various techniques to overcome damage to crops by flood and drought, 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  GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a): During 2017-18, the Governments of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan have intimated about drought of varying magnitude.  However, no intimation about drought has so far been received from the Government of Karnataka during 2017-18. The production of foodgrains in  the  country during 2017-18, as per the first Advance Estimates, is likely to be 1346.7 lakh tonnes, as against 1350.3 lakh tonnes as per the First Advance Estimates during 2016-17.
- (b): Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare has prepared a detailed Crop Contingency Plans  for  623  districts  in  the  country  through  the  Central  Research  Institute  for  Dryland Agriculture (CRIDA), Hyderabad, which is under Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR). The States have been advised for preparing, updating and fine-tuning Contingency Plans for each district in consultation with CRIDA and the State Agriculture Universities and to prepare location  specific  remedial  measures  based  on  these  Contingency  Plans  in  the  event  of  late arrival  of  Monsoon,  long  dry spells,  scanty  rainfall,  drought  conditions,  tying  up  availability  of seeds and other inputs for implementing the Contingency Plans.
- (c): Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare advises farmers to adopt techniques, such as,  in-situ  moisture  conservation,  on  farm  water  harvesting  through  farm  ponds,  etc.,  ridge furrow, board bed furrow, promoting agronomic practices, including direct seeded rice through seed  drills/drum  seeder,  use  of  short  duration  and  stress  tolerant  varieties  of  paddy  like Sahbhagi  Dhan/Swarna  Sub-I,  Intercropping  &  mixed  cropping  with  pulses/oilseeds/coarse cereals, spray of drought mitigating chemicals like bio-urea, KCL, KNO3, hydrogel and mulching etc.  However, agriculture being State subject, the primary responsibility of imparting training to the farmers and making them aware of various techniques to overcome damage to crops, rests with State Governments .

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