Lok Sabha Question No. 1694 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-06
Subject: Facilities to Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: PARASURAMAN K.

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1694

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 6 TH  March, 2018

## FACILITIES TO FARMERS

1694.     SHRI K. PARASURAMAN:

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

- (a) whether  is  it  the  fact  that  most  of  the  facilities  provided  by  the  Government  are benefitting  Agro  Traders,  Agro  Processors  whereas  the  grassroot  level  farmers  are  hardly getting any benefits from the Government Schemes;
- (b) if  so,  whether  the  Government  has  plans  to  educate  farmers  to  avail  the  maximum benefits from the Government bodies; and
- (c) 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  PARSHOTTAM  RUPALA)

- (a):  No,  Madam. The strategy of the Government is to focus on farmers' welfare by making farming viable. Most of the schemes of Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare focus on directly benefitting farmers through various interventions and schemes such as:-
- (i) Soil  Health  Card  (SHC)  scheme  by  which  the  farmers  can  know  the  major  and  minor nutrients available in their soils which will ensure judicious use of fertilizer application and thus save money of farmers.
- (ii) Neem Coated Urea (NCU) is being promoted to regulate use of urea, enhance availability of nitrogen to the crop and reduce cost of fertilizer application.  NCU slows down the release of fertilizer and makes it available to the crop in an effective manner.
- (iii)    Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) is being implemented with a view to promote organic farming in the country.
- (iv)    Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY)  was launched on 1st July, 2015 with the motto of 'Har Khet Ko Paani' for providing end-to-end solutions in irrigation supply chain, comprising water sources, distribution network and farm level applications.
- (v) In order to provide an alternative to farmers for marketing avenues, National Agriculture Market  scheme  (e-NAM)  was  launched  on  14.04.2016  in  8  States  viz.  Gujarat,  Telangana, Rajasthan,   Madhya   Pradesh,   Uttar   Pradesh,   Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Jharkhand

covering 21 markets.  The Scheme envisages initiation of e-marketing platform at national level and will support creation of infrastructure to enable e-marketing in 585 regulated markets across the country by March 2018. This innovative market process is revolutionizing agri markets by ensuring better price discovery, bringing in transparency and competition to enable farmers to get  improved  remuneration for  their  produce  moving  towards  'One  Nation  One  Market'.    466 markets in 13 States have been brought on board so far.

- (vi) Government  has  introduced  Pradhan  Mantri  Fasal  Bima  Yojana  (PMFBY)  from  Kharif 2016 to address the risks associated with agriculture.  PMFBY addresses all the shortcomings in the earlier schemes and is available to the farmers at very low rates of premium. The farmers will get full insurance cover as there is no capping of sum insured and consequently the claim amount is not curtailed or reduced. This scheme provides insurance cover at all stages of the crop cycle including post-harvest risks in specified instances.
- (vii)    The  Government  provides  interest  subvention  of  3%  on  short-term  crop  loans  up  to Rs.3.00 lakh.  Presently, loan is available to farmers at an interest rate of 7% per annum, which gets reduced to 4% on prompt repayment.
- (viii)      In  addition, the Government is implementing several Centrally Sponsored Schemes viz. National  Food  Security  Mission  (NFSM);  Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture (MIDH);  National  Mission  on  Oilseeds  &  Oilpalm  (NMOOP);  National  Mission  for  Sustainable Agriculture  (NMSA);  National  Mission  on  Agricultural  Extension  &  Technology  (NMAET)  and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).
- (b) & (c): Government  has  been  laying  special  emphasis  on  dissemination  of  information and knowledge transfer to  the farmers  through  a  series  of  initiatives  like  Extension  Reforms, Mass  Media  Support  to  Agricultural  Extension,  Kisan  Call  Centers,  Agri-Clinics  and  AgriBusiness  Centers,  Exhibitions/  Fairs  etc.  Further,  a  network  of  681  Krishi  Vigyan  Kendras (KVKs)  has  been  established  by  India  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  to  facilitate  farmer's access to knowledge and information generated by Agricultural Universities and ICAR Institutes of the country.

Further,  Farmers' training is  provided  at  the local  level  through  Krishi  Vigyan  Kendras, vocational  agricultural  schools  and  field  demonstrations.  These  training  classes  may  be conducted on specific topics like the use of urea or vast topics like packages of practice. The new  information  that  farmers  gain  through  these  training  sessions  makes  their  daily  farming activities much easier. It also leads to an increase in productivity and bigger profits in the long run.

The State Agricultural Universities are major partners in the growth and development of agricultural research and education under the national agricultural research system. Currently, there are 41  State  Agricultural Universities in India. These  agricultural  universities are responsible  for  research,  training  and  dissemination  of  agriculture  related  information  in  the State. They generate new technologies to increase production, provide degree and certificate programmes  in  agriculture  and  help  in  the  transfer  of  technology  by  participating  in  farmer training classes organised by local agricultural bodies.

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