Lok Sabha Question No. 2796 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-13
Subject: Betel Cultivation
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: ANJU BALA, B. SREERAMULU, Tejpratap Singh,Yadav

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2796

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 13 TH   MARCH, 2018

## BETEL CULTIVATION

2796.  SHRIMATI ANJU BALA: SHRI B. SRIRAMULU: SHRI TEJ PRATAP SINGH YADAV:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware that the betel farmers are not getting the benefit of the crop insurance scheme as the cultivation of betel has not been accorded the status of agriculture and if so, the details thereof and the Government's reaction thereto;
- (b) whether the Government has received proposals from various stakeholders regarding the award of agriculture status to betel cultivation and if so, the Government's reaction thereto;
- (c) whether lakhs of people of the betel growers community are leading pitiable life as a result thereof,  if  so,  the  details  and  the  Government's  reaction  thereto  with  special  reference  to  Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka;
- (d) whether betel cultivation has also not been included in the activities of agriculture science centres situated in those States where betel cultivation is undertaken on a large scale; and
- (e) if so, the steps taken or proposed to be taken by the Government in this regard?

## 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): All  food,  oilseed  and  commercial/  horticultural  crops  are  covered  under  crop  insurance schemes of the Government viz. yield based Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and weather index based  Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS), however, it is for the States to decide which crops and areas to notify under the schemes.

Betel vine is a perennial horticultural creeper and may be covered under RWBCIS as has been  notified  by  the  States  of  Karnataka  and  West  Bengal.    Thus  since,  the  benefit  of  crop insurance is available to betel cultivation in some States,  the issue of grant of agriculture status to betel cultivation for purpose of crop insurance does not arise.

- (b) to (e): Government has received  representation  from  stakeholders  in    Bihar.    Agriculture being a  State  subject,  the  matter  has  been  forwarded  to  the  State  Government  for  appropriate action.   Representations have also been received from Uttar Pradesh and Karnataka stating that the betel cultivation and trade are incurring losses due to continuous drought leading to pitiable life of the cultivators.   Development programmes for promotion of betel vine are being implemented by the Central as well as concerned State Governments, especially in the areas where the betel vine cultivation is  predominant.    Betel  vine being  a horticultural crop, assistance  for its development can be had under State Horticulture Missions (SHMs) of concerned States through Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture  (MIDH).    Further,  the  natural  calamity  relief measures  are  also  provided  to  the  betel  vine  growers  as  per  the  existing  rates  fixed  by  the Government from time to time.

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