Lok Sabha Question No. 674 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-12-19
Subject: Weather Information to Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: VIJAY KUMAR S.R., HEMAMALINI, ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO, KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH, SUDHEER GUPTA

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.674

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  19 TH  DECEMBER, 2017

## WEATHER INFORMATION TO FARMERS

674.   SHRI S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR:

SHRIMATI HEMA MALINI: SHRI ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN: SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO: KUNWAR HARIBANSH SINGH: SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

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

- (a) whether the Government has evolved any mechanism to provide weather related information  to  the  farmers  timely  and  on  regular  basis  to  prevent  damage  to  crops caused by rain and flood;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  developed  different  environmental  friendly  crop varieties tolerant to flood/water logging and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) the steps taken/being taken by the Government to encourage the use of these seeds in flood and water logging prone areas in the country?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF  STATE IN THE  MINISTRY OF  AGRICULTURE AND  FARMERS  WELFARE

‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã ½ãñâ Àã·¾ã ½ãâ¨ããè ( SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a) & (b): Farmers in the country are provided with weather information along with advisories  through  different  modes  of  communications  like  Radio,  Television,  print media, Short Message Service (SMS). Kisan Suvidha app developed by this Ministry, provides information, inter alia, on weather, input dealers, market price, plant protection and expert advisories. Further, Officers, Scientists and Experts from all the concerned Organizations and Departments of the Government of India and the State Governments (including State Agriculture Universities, Krishi Vigyan Kendras and Agro-Meteorological

(Field Units) are using mkisan portal i.e. http://mkisan.gov.in for disseminating information (giving topical & seasonal advisories and providing services through SMSs to  farmers  in  their  local  languages)  on  various  agricultural  activities  to  the  registered farmers.  25  centres  of  All  India  Coordinated  Research  Project  on  Agro-Meteorology (AICRPAM)  located  in  Agricultural  Universities,  prepare  and  disseminate  micro  level weather  based  agro-advisories  to  farmers.  Besides,  weather  information  and  related agro-advisories  are  provided  to  farmers  by  681  Krishi  Vigyan  Kendras  through  Kisan Mobile Advisory messages, Radio & TV programmes and newspapers. India Meteorological  Department  (IMD),  under  the  scheme  Gramin  Krishi  Mausam  Seva (GKMS) is issuing quantitative district level weather forecast and agromet advisories for the farmers.

(c): Varieties tolerant to various stresses including flood and water logging have been developed  for  Rice,  Wheat,  Maize,  Sorghum,  Pearl  Millet,  Kodo  Millet,  Finger  Millet, Indian Mustard, Soybean, Niger, Jute, Bajra, Sorghum, Rice bean, Sugarcane, etc. for different agro-ecological regions of the country.

(d): The Government is encouraging the production and distribution of stress tolerant including flood tolerant rice varieties and deep water paddy varieties under the existing schemes  viz.,  National  Food  Security  Mission,  Bringing  Green  Revolution  in  Eastern India, Sub-mission for Seed and Planting Material and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana.

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