Lok Sabha Question No. 2100 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2016-11-29
Subject: Farmers' Portal Website
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: KINJARAPU RAM MOHAN NAIDU

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.2100

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 29 TH   NOVEMBER, 2016

## FARMERS' PORTAL WEBSITE

## 2100.      SHRI RAM MOHAN NAIDU KINJARAPU:

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

- (a) the  details  of  the  information made available  to the public through the m-kisan mobile SMS service farmers' portal website launched as part of the National e-Governance Plan;
- (b) whether any study has been commissioned to measure the penetration and impact of such a service in the rural and agriculture heartlands of the country, if so, the details thereof along with the outcome thereon;
- (c) whether this  service  is  provided  in  all  recognised  languages  in  the  country,  if  not,  the time by which the Government plans to provide the service in all the recognised languages; and
- (d) whether  the  Government  intends  to  spread  awareness  of  such  a  portal  amongst  the farming community in order to protect their best interest 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  S.S. AHLUWALIA)

- (a): Yes,  Madam.    Knowledge  based  information  is  being  provided  to  farmers  through  a number of web and mobile based applications, including Farmers' Portal  and mKisan Portal.
- (i) Farmers'Portal (http://farmer.gov.in/): Farmers' Portal is a one stop shop for farmers where  a  farmer  can  get  information  on  range  of  topics  including  seeds,  fertilizer, pesticides, credit, good practices, dealer network, and availability of inputs, beneficiary list and Agromet advisories .
- (ii) mKisan Portal (www.mkisan.gov.in):  This is unified platform from where Officials and Scientists can send targeted text and voice based advisories to the farmers in their local languages, on a host of issues related agriculture and allied sectors .

In  addition,  Government  has  developed  mobile  apps  like  Kisan  Suvidha,  Agrimarket, Pusa  Krishi,  Crop  Insurance,  Crop  Cutting  Experiment  etc.  for  providing  agriculture  related information to the farmers on their mobile phones.

(b): Yes, Madam.  Independent study has been commissioned to measure the penetration and impact of such a service in the rural and agriculture heartlands of the country and the report on the study  is to be submitted by the concerned agency by March 2017.

(c): mKisan Portal supports all  recognized languages and delivers crop advisories in  the language of the State from where a farmer  has registered. Messages from SMS Portal can be sent to the farmers in the language of their choice at the time of registration for the service.  This is being achieved with the help of easy phonetic typing in   different languages.

(d): The  Government  has  conducted  a  number  of  workshops  at  National  and  State  level involving  the  States  and  UTs  for  sensitizing  the  initiatives  and  to  educate  officials  as  well  as farmers on these initiatives.

The Mobile Applications and the Web based Applications are duly given prominence on the official websites and also through print and electronic media.   Special talk Shows, QuestionAnswer session with farmers are also being held on use of these  Portals/Apps on DD Kisan TV Channel. They  are also being prominently show cased through various Krishi Melas being held across India.

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