Lok Sabha Question No. 4257 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-03-28
Subject: Agricultural Profession
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: A.P. JITHENDER REDDY, NAGENDRA KUMAR PRADHAN, GOPAL CHINAYYA SHETTY, POONAMBEN HEMATBHAI MAADAM, P.R. SUNDARAM, MD. BADARIDDOZA KHAN, JYOTIRADITYA MADHAVRAO SCINDIA, B. S. YEDDYURAPPA, RAJESH KUMAR DIWAKAR, SUSHMITA DEV, M. B. RAJESH, CHINTAMAN NAVSHA WANAGA, MOHAMMAD SALIM, RAMA KISHORE SINGH, V. SATHYABAMA, PR. SENTHILNATHAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4257

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 28 TH    MARCH, 2017

## AGRICULTURAL PROFESSION

4257.     SHRI A.P. JITHENDER REDDY:

SHRI NAGENDRA KUMAR PRADHAN:

SHRI GOPAL SHETTY:

SHRIMATI POONAMBEN MAADAM:

SHRI P.R. SUNDARAM:

SHRI MD. BADARUDDOZA KHAN:

SHRI JYOTIRADITYA M. SCINDIA:

SHRI B.S. YEDIYURAPPA:

SHRI RAJESH KUMAR DIWAKER:

KUMARI SUSHMITA DEV:

SHRI M.B. RAJESH:

ADV. CHINTAMAN NAVASHA WANAGA:

SHRI MOHD. SALIM:

SHRI RAMA KISHORE SINGH:

SHRIMATI V. SATHYA BAMA:

SHRI PR. SENTHIL NATHAN:

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

- (a) whether the financial condition of farmers is poor in comparison to that of entrepreneurs/ middlemen who do business in foodgrains in the country and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the steps taken by the Government to ameliorate the condition of farmers;
- (b) whether  the  Government  provides  financial  assistance/relief  to  the  families  of  farmers who commit suicide and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government proposes to initiate any process to segregate the farmers into poor, small, marginal and medium on the basis of land holdings and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  farmers  in  certain  parts  of  the  country  have  declared  crop  holiday  as agriculture  has  become  an  unremunerative  profession  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the remedial steps taken/ proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (e) whether  the  Ministry  proposes  to  collaborate  with  the  Ministry  of  Health  and  Family Welfare to address the mental health issues of the farmers so that the rate of farmers suicide be reduced in the country 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  PARSHOTTAM  RUPALA)

(a): The National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) conducted 'Situation Assessment Survey (SAS) of   Agricultural   Households'  during NSS 70 th round (January 2013- December 2013) in

the rural areas of the country with reference to the agricultural year July 2012- June 2013. The survey estimated the average monthly income per agricultural household during the agricultural year July 2012-June 2013 at all India level as Rs.6426/-. However, the information on income of entrepreneurs/middlemen who do business in foodgrains is not available from the data collected during the above NSSO survey.

(b): Agriculture, including agricultural indebtedness, being a State subject, the State Governments take appropriate measures for development of agriculture in the State. However, Government of India supplements the efforts of States through appropriate policy measures and budgetary support.

As per information available from the States, the details of relief etc. being provided is as follows:

-  State Government of Maharashtra gives Ex-gratia relief of Rs. 1.00 lakh to the heirs of the deceased farmer as per scheme of State Government. The three norms of eligibility for  ex-gratia  are  crop  failure,  indebtedness  and  harassment  due  to  inability  to  pay agriculture related loans.
-  The  Punjab  Government  had  constituted  committee  for  providing  compensation  to victims'  family  to  Rs.  3.00  lakh.  The  Punjab  Govt.  also  introduced  'Punjab  relief  of Agriculture Indebtedness bill' which will provide relief to the farmers from debt trap.
-  Government of Andhra Pradesh is providing Rs. 5.00 lakh compensation to the family members of the deceased farmers. Out of which Rs. 1.50 lakh is as one time settlement to  wipe  off  loans/  liabilities  and  Rs.  3.50  lakh  towards  rehabilitation  of  the  family members.
-  The  Government of Telangana has  enhanced  the  Ex-gratia  from  Rs.  1.00  lakh  to  Rs. 5.00 lakh to the family of the deceased farmer towards rehabilitation of the family and enhance  loan  settlement  ceiling  limit  from  Rs.  50  thousand  to  Rs.  1.00  lakh  to  the persons entitled as one time settlement and to wipe off all the liabilities on the part of deceased families of farmers.
-  In Karnataka an amount of Rs. 1.00 lakh has been given to each of the deceased family from 2003-04 to 2014-15. From 01.04.2015 an amount of Rs. 5.00 lakh relief is provided to each of the deceased family and the children of the deceased will get free education up to post graduation including hostel facilities.

(c): The Agriculture Census in the country is conducted at an interval of five years to collect data on operational holdings. In Agriculture Census, farmers are not classified as poor and rich. However,  according  to  the  size  of  the  holding,  the  operational  holdings  are  categorized  in various size groups as per the following criteria:

Size  Groups     Size of holding (in hectare)

Marginal            Below 1.00 ha.

Small                1.00- below 2.00 ha.

Semi-Medium   2.00- below 4.00 ha.

Medium            4.00-below 10.00 ha.

Large               10.00 ha. & above

(d): Agriculture is a State subject and the State Governments have primary responsibility for the  promotion  and  development  of  agriculture.  However,  the  approach  of  the  Government  of India for improving farmers' welfare rests on making farming viable by way of reducing cost of cultivation,  increasing  production  and  productivity  and  providing  remunerative  prices  to  the farmers  for  their  produce.  To  meet  this  objective,  Government  is  implementing  various schemes/ programmes viz., Soil Health Card, promotion of Neem Coated Urea, Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana, National Agriculture Market, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, etc.

Besides  above,  short  term  crop  loan  upto  Rs.3.00  lakh  is  provided  to  farmers  at  an interest  rate  of  7%  per  annum  with  interest  subvention  of  3%  for  timely  payment.  In  order  to discourage distress sale by farmers and to encourage them to store their produce in warehouse against  receipts,  the  benefit  of  interest  subvention  scheme  has  been  extended  to  small  and marginal farmers having Kisan Credit Card for a further period of six months post harvest on the same  rate  as  available  on  crop  loan.  Further  to  ensure  remunerative  price  to  farmers,  the Government has also increased Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) of different crops for 2016-17.

In  addition,  to  incentivize  farmers  for  production  of  pulses  and  oilseeds,  a  bonus  of Rs.425/- per quintal of Arhar, Moong and Urad, Rs.200/- per quintal for Sesamum and Gram, Rs.150/-  per  quintal  of  Masur  and  Rs.100/-  per  quintal  for  Groundnut,  Soyabean,  Sunflower, Nigerseed, Rapeseed/Mustard and Safflower has also been announced.

(e): Ministry  of  Health  and  Family  Welfare  is  currently  providing  mental  healthcare  in  339 districts in the country under the District Mental Health Programme (DMHP). The components of suicide prevention services, work place stress management, life skills training and counselling in schools and colleges are part of the activities under DMHP.  These services are available free of cost to all, including farmers.

********