Lok Sabha Question No. 182 (STARRED), answered on 2018-07-31
Subject: Tenant Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: MUTHAMSETTI SRINIVASA RAO (AVNTHI)

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

## LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 182

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 31 ST  JULY, 2018

## TENANT FARMERS

- *182.  SHRI MUTHAMSETTI SRINIVASA RAO (AVANTHI):

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND  FARMERS  WELFARE कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण ½ãâ¨ããè be pleased to state:

- (a): whether tenant farmers in some States are hypothecating the harvest to pesticide dealers and private moneylenders to get pesticides and money;
- (b): if so, details thereof;
- (c): whether  tenant  farmers  have  to  continue  farming  as  they  do  not  have  the knowledge/skill of any other work and if so, the details thereof;
- (d): whether the farmers lease the land between Rs.1,000 and Rs.5,000 per acre; and
- (e): if  so,  the  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  regulate  lease  price  of farmland and provide bank loans to tenant farmers to contain suicides?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण ½ãâ¨ããè

(SHRI RADHA MOHAN SINGH)

- (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 182    DUE FOR REPLY ON 31 ST   JULY, 2018.

- (a) to (e): The  subject relating to Land  and  its management  falls  within the jurisdiction of States as per Entry 18 of List II (State List) of the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution. The role of the Central Government in the field of land reforms is only of an advisory nature. The Central Government is not maintaining any data relating to tenant farmers hypothecating the harvest to pesticide dealers and private money lenders to get pesticides and money as well as data relating to leasing of the land.
2.     To address the issues in the area of land leasing, NITI Aayog has developed The Model  Land  Lease  Act,  2016  for  adoption  by  States.  The  Model  Act  offers  an appropriate template for the states and UTs to draft their own piece of legislations, in consonance with the local requirements and adopt an enabling Act. Key elements of the Model Land Leasing Act are:-
- i)          Legalize  land  leasing  to  promote  agricultural  efficiency,  equity  and  poverty reduction.
- ii)      Facilitate all tenants including share croppers to access insurance bank credit and bank credit against pledging of expected output.
- iii)       Legalize land leasing in all areas to ensure complete security of land ownership right for land owners and security of tenure for tenants for the agreed lease period.
- iv)          Remove  the  clause  of  adverse  possession  of  land  in  the  land  laws  of  various states as it interferes with free functioning of land lease market;
- v)       Allow automatic resumption of land after the agreed lease.

-2- vi) Allow the terms and conditions of lease to be determined mutually by the land owner and the tenant without any fear on the part of the landowner of losing land right or undue expectation on the part of the tenant of acquiring occupancy right for continuous possession of leased land for any fixed period.

vii) Incentivize  tenants  to  make  investment  in  land  improvement  and  also  entitle them to get back the unused value of investment at the time of termination of tenancy.

Further, the Central Government has released the Model Agricultural Produce & Livestock Marketing (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2017, in April, 2017and the Model Agricultural Produce  &  Livestock Contract Farming  and  Services (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2018, in May, 2018, for adoption by State/UTs, to promote alternative competitive marketing channels for better pricing for farmers and to encourage private investment in developing efficient marketing infrastructure and value chain.

3. Although, Agriculture is a State subject, through various schemes of Government of  India  efforts  are  being  made  to  empower  the  farmers  by  skilling  them  thereby enabling  them  for  diversified  income  generating  options.  A  Centrally  Sponsored Scheme on Support to State Extension Programmes for Extension Reforms (ATMA) is under implementation in 676 districts of 29 states & 3 UTs. Under the scheme, support to  State  Government  is  provided  to  revitalize  the  extension  system  and  making available  the  latest  technologies  to  farmers  in  various  thematic  areas  to  increase agricultural  production.  Activities  include  farmers  trainings,  demonstrations,  exposure visits, kisan mela, mobilization of farmers and organizing farm schools.

4. Through  various  skill  development  programme  as  vetted  by  Agriculture  Skill Council  of  India  (ASCI)  farmers  are  being  imparted  skill  development  training  as Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship (MSDE) norms.

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5. Apart from this, Krishi Kalyan Abhiyan has been launched from 1 st June,  2018 focusing on giving a boost to agriculture and allied activities in aspirational districts with an ultimate  aim to  double  the  income of  farmers.  The  Abhiyan  has  specifically  taken care  of  imparting  skill  development  training  to  farmers  in  the  field  of  bee  keeping, mushroom  production,  kitchen  garden  and  other  income  generating  fields.  Scientists from  Krishi  Vigyan  Kendras,  academicians  from  State  Agriculture  Universities  and entrepreneurs have shared their experience with farmers during the trainings conducted. As on 26.07.2018, 15,945 training sessions have been conducted in which 5,64,536  farmers  have  participated.  Other  activities  being  implemented  under  this initiative are:-

- (i) Distribution of soil health cards,
- (ii) Distribution of free mini-kits of pulses and oilseeds
- (iii) Distribution of horticulture plants
- (iv) Artificial insemination programme
- (v) Bovine vaccination programme
- (vi) Eradication of Peste des Petits ruminants (PPR ) diseases in sheep and goat
- (vii) Making of Nadep compost pit and distribution of waste decomposer
- (viii) Distribution of agriculture implements.

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