Lok Sabha Question No. 2457 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-01-02
Subject: Use of Mobile Phone Technology
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: R.K. BHARATHI MOHAN

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2457

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  2 ND  JANUARY, 2018

## USE OF MOBILE PHONE TECHNOLOGY

2457.  SHRI BHARATHI MOHAN R.K.:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  implementing  the  use  of  latest  mobile  phone technology  to  help  farmers  in  gaining  instant  access  to  market  information  in  the country;
- (b) if so, the details of the facilities provided and  infrastructure created for implementing these mobile platform networks, State-wise;
- (c) whether  the  price  and  market  related  information  in  respect  of  agricultural commodities is being disseminated to the farmers through AGMARKNET portal;
- (d) if so, the details of the AGMARKNET networks, State-wise;
- (e) the details of Agriculture Technology Information Centres set up in Tamil Nadu under Innovations in Technology Dissemination (ITD) component of National Agricultural Technology Project; and
- (f) the details of expenditure incurred by the Government on the above said projects during the last three years along with the current status of the other similar information projects thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF  STATE IN THE  MINISTRY OF  AGRICULTURE AND  FARMERS  WELFARE

‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं  कसान  कयाण ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã  ½ãñâ  Àã·¾ã  ½ãâ¨ããè (  SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

- (a) & (b): Yes,  Madam.  Department  of  Agriculture,  Cooperation  and  Farmers' Welfare has developed Agrimarket and Kissan Suvidha mobile app to help farmers in gaining instant access to the market information in the country. These apps are hosted on servers installed under National e-Governance Plan for Agriculture scheme (NeGPA) and no separate infrastructure is created for it.

- (c): Yes, Madam. The price and market related information in respect of agricultural commodities is disseminated to the farmers from AGMARKNET through DD Kisan channel, Agrimarket and Kisan call centers.
- (d): The State-wise details of AGMARKNET network is at Annexure-I.

(e): National  Agricultural  Technology  Project  (NATP),  a  World  Bank  -aided  project was operational  from  1998  to  2005.  During  2012-13,  the  Government  of  Tamil  Nadu with its own funds has established Agro Marketing Intelligence and Business Promotion Centre  (AMI  &  BPC)  at  Trichy  as  a  new  initiative  to  render  market  information  in coordination with Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU). Through this centre, crop advisory, market information and intelligence services are disseminated through mobile SMS to the registered farmers and staff of the Department of Agriculture Marketing and Agri Business, Government of Tamil Nadu.

- (f): Does not arise in view of above.

Annexure-I The State-wise details of AGMARKNET Network-December 2017

| S. No.   | Name of the State/UT   |   No. of Markets under AGMARKNET Network |
|----------|------------------------|------------------------------------------|
| 1        | Andaman and Nicobar    |                                        4 |
| 2        | Andhra Pradesh         |                                      195 |
| 3        | Arunachal Pradesh      |                                       15 |
| 4        | Assam                  |                                       25 |
| 5        | Bihar                  |                                       58 |
| 6        | Chandigarh             |                                        1 |
| 7        | Chattisgarh            |                                      185 |
| 8        | Dadra and Nagar Haveli |                                        0 |
| 9        | Daman and Diu          |                                        0 |
| 10       | Goa                    |                                       10 |
| 11       | Gujarat                |                                      305 |
| 12       | Haryana                |                                      135 |
| 13       | Himachal Pradesh       |                                       41 |
| 14       | Jammu and Kashmir      |                                       35 |
| 15       | Jharkhand              |                                       28 |
| 16       | Karnataka              |                                      192 |
| 17       | Kerala                 |                                      113 |
| 18       | Lakshadweep            |                                        0 |
| 19       | Madhya Pradesh         |                                      267 |
| 20       | Maharashtra            |                                      379 |
| 21       | Manipur                |                                        5 |
| 22       | Meghalaya              |                                       19 |
| 23       | Mizoram                |                                        3 |
| 24       | Nagaland               |                                       19 |
| 25       | NCT of Delhi           |                                        9 |
| 26       | Orissa                 |                                      106 |
| 27       | Pondicherry            |                                        4 |
| 28       | Punjab                 |                                      248 |
| 29       | Rajasthan              |                                      149 |
| 30       | Sikkim                 |                                        7 |
| 31       | Tamil Nadu             |                                      184 |
| 32       | Telangana              |                                      158 |
| 33       | Tripura                |                                       32 |
| 34       | Uttar Pradesh          |                                      257 |
| 35       | Uttrakhand             |                                       25 |
| 36       | West Bengal            |                                       76 |
| Total    | All India              |                                     3289 |

Source: Agmarknet

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