Lok Sabha Question No. 813 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-02-07
Subject: Income of Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: MANOJ RAJORIA, BHAIRON PRASAD MISHRA, ANTO  ANTONY, RAM KUMAR SHARMA KUSHWAHA, ANANT KUMAR DATTATREYA HEGDE

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.813

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 7 TH   FEBRUARY, 2017

## INCOME OF FARMERS

813.      DR. MANOJ RAJORIA:

SHRI BHAIRON PRASAD MISHRA:

SHRI ANTO ANTONY:

SHRI RAM KUMAR SHARMA:

SHRI ANANTKUMAR HEGDE:

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

- (a) whether demonetisation has caused a huge dip in the income of farmers in the country and if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto;
- (b) whether the Government proposes to formulate a new realistic policy/scheme to achieve the  progressive  objective  of  doubling  the  income  of  farmers  by  2022  and  if  so,  the  details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has set up any inter-Ministerial Committee to suggest strategy for doubling the income of farmers and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the said committee has submitted its recommendation in this regard and if so, the details thereof and the follow up action taken by the Government thereon; and
- (e) whether  the  Government  has  identified  any  agriculture  based  industry  to  achieve  the targets of doubling the income of farmers and if so, the details thereof and the steps taken to promote the said industry?

## 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): No, Madam.    To understand the impact of demonetization on farming sector, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)-National Institute of Agricultural Economics and Policy Research (NIAP) conducted a short survey of farmers in few villages around Delhi under Mera Gaon  Mera  Gaurav  (MGMG)  initiative.  Survey  findings  could  not  establish  any  significant adverse effect of demonetization on input availability, market arrivals of produce and area sown in Rabi season. As per preliminary reports received from the States, the total area sown under Rabi crops as on 27 th January, 2017 stands at 637.34 lakh hectares as compared to 600.02 lakh  hectares  this  time  in  2016  indicating  no  significant  impact  of  demonetization  on  Rabi sowing.

(b) to (e): In order to achieve the target of doubling of income of farmers by March 2022, the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare has constituted  a Committee under the Chairmanship of Additional Secretary,  for the following aspects:

- i) To study the current income level of farmers/  agricultural labourers
2. ii) To measure the historical growth rate of the current income level
3. iii) To  determine  the  needed  growth  rate  to  double  the  income  of  farmers/agricultural labourers by  the year 2021-22
4. iv) To consider and recommend various strategies to be adopted to accomplish (iii) above
- v)        To recommend an institutional mechanism to review and monitor implementation   to realise the goal
6. vi)       To examine any other related issue.

The Committee has held five meetings so far to evolve a suitable strategy.

********