Lok Sabha Question No. 2985 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-01-04
Subject: Soil Conservation to tackle Alkalinity
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: ASHOK MAHADEORAO NETE

## GOVERNMENT  OF INDIA MINISTRY  OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## DEPARTMENT OF LAND RESOURCES

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED  QUESTTON  NO.298s TO BE ANSWERED  ON O4.OI.2OI8

## Soil Conservation  to tackle  Alkalinity

## 2985. SHRI ASHOK MAHADEORAO NETE:

Will the Minister  of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

(a) whether  the Government has taken or being taking any steps to formulate action-plans  for soil conservation across the country to tackle the growing menace of alkalinity of arable  land;

(b) if so, the details thereof,,  State-wise; and

(c) ifnot, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI RAM KRIPAL YADAV)

(a) to (c): Department  of Land Resources has sanctioned 8214 watershed development  projects  in 28 States (except Goa)  [during  the period 2009-10 to 2014-15]  covering  an area of about 39.07 million  ha under  the Watershed  Development Component  (WDC) of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee  Yojana (PMKSY) principally for development  of rainfed portions of net cultivated area and culturable  wastelands.

The activities being undertaken through  the watershed  development  projects  inter alia include  ridge area treatment, drainage  line treatment,  soil and moisture conservation, rain water harvesting, nursery  raising, afforestation,  hofticulture,  pasture developmeng  livelihoods for assetless pe.soni, etc.

State-wise  details  of number  of sanctioned projects,  area covered by the projects  and Central  share released upto 01.01.2018 are given in Annexure I.

The Ministry of Agriculture  and Farmers Welfare has launched Reclamation  of Problem  Soils (RPS) as a sub-scheme  of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) during 2016-17 for reclamation of problem soils (Alkalinityi  Salinity and Acidity) on pilot basis in l5 States having higher extent of problem  soil area. The main objective  of the scheme is to reclaim  problem  soils an'O to bring such land under crops, horticulture  and other plantations  so that further expansion  of problem arei is prevented and after reclamation such land is put to continuous  cultivation.  The Schime  is being continued during the year 2017-18. State-wise  details of the Scheme for the years  2016-17 and 2017-18 are given in Annexure II &UI respectively.

The lndian Council of Agricultural Research  (ICAR) through Central  Soil Salinity Research Institute  (CSSRI),  Karnal is addressing the issues related to salinity and alkalinity  in ihe country. The ICAR has developed reclamation  technology,  salt tolerant  varieties  of different  crops (namely, rice, wheat, and mustard)  and agroforestry inteiventions to improve the productivity  of such lands. The CSSRI, Karnal also imparts  training,  organises  Front Line Demonstrations  etc. to educate farmers on these aspects.

****

## Annexure referred  to in reply to parts (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha  Unstarred  euestion No. 2985 for answer on 04.01.2018

State-wise details of number of projects, sanctioned  area  of the projects  and funds released for the project

## Area n million ha, Amount  in Rs. crore

| sr. No   | Name of the State   | Sanctioned (from 2009-10 to 2014-15\@   | Sanctioned (from 2009-10 to 2014-15\@   | Central share released (from 2009-10 to 2017-18#)   |
|----------|---------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------------|
| sr. No   | Name of the State   | Total no. of Pro.iects                  | Area of the projects                    | Central share released (from 2009-10 to 2017-18#)   |
| 1        | Andhra Pradesh      | 432                                     | L810                                    | 848.77                                              |
| 2        | Arunachal Pradesh   | 156                                     | 0.467                                   | 215.54                                              |
| J        | Assam               | 372                                     | 1.577                                   | 349.24                                              |
| 4        | Bihar               | 123                                     | 0.6t2                                   | 104.54                                              |
| 5        | Chhattisearh        | 263                                     | 1.195                                   | 2s0.85                                              |
| 6        | Gujarat             | 610                                     | 3.1 03                                  | I 136.80                                            |
| 7        | Haryana             | 88                                      | 0.362                                   | 88.70                                               |
| 8        | Himachal Pradesh    | 163                                     | 0.840                                   | 259.54                                              |
| 9        | Jammu & Kashmir     | 159                                     | 0.6s2                                   | r 18.20                                             |
| 10       | Jharkhand           | t7t                                     | 0.91I                                   | 162.69                                              |
| 1l       | Karnataka           | 571                                     | 2.569                                   | 1690.74                                             |
| t2       | Kerala              | 83                                      | 0.423                                   | 89.94                                               |
| l3       | Madhya Pradesh      | 5t7                                     | 2.937                                   | 1247.46                                             |
| t4       | Maharashtra         | l 186                                   | 5.128                                   | 2250.62                                             |
| l5       | Manipur             | 102                                     | 0.491                                   | 134.96                                              |
| 16       | Meghalaya           | 96                                      | 0.236                                   | 166.3s                                              |
| t7       | Mizoram             | 89                                      | 0.373                                   | 224.40                                              |
| 18       | Nagaland            | 1ll                                     | 0.476                                   | 460.79                                              |
| t9       | Odisha              | 3r0                                     | 1.700                                   | 902.14                                              |
| 20       | Puniab              | 67                                      | 0.314                                   | 52.46                                               |
| 2t       | Rajasthan           | 1025                                    | 5.764                                   | 2030. l s                                           |
| 22       | Sikkim              | t5                                      | 0.066                                   | 22.A9                                               |
| 23       | Tamil Nadu          | 270                                     | r.368                                   | 834.3s                                              |
| 24       | Telangana           | 330                                     | 1.399                                   | 5l 1.08                                             |
| 25       | Tripura             | 65                                      | 0.2t3                                   | 177.65                                              |
| 26       | Uttarakhand         | 65                                      | 0.346                                   | I14.13                                              |
| 27       | Uttar Pradesh       | 612                                     | 3.045                                   | 744.s6                                              |
| 28       | West Bengal         | 163                                     | 0.693                                   | t3r.76                                              |
|          | Total               | 8214                                    | 39.07                                   | t5320.49                                            |

- Note: l) WDC-PMKSY is not operational in the Union Territories.
- 2) There is no sanctioned  project  in Goa.

A

## Annexure referred  to in reply to parts (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred  Question  No. 2985 for answer on 04.01.2018

## physical  and Financial  Progress on Reclamation  of Problem Soils (Alkalinity/ Salinity and Acidity) during 2016-20L7

(Physical  in ha & Financial  Rs. in lakh)

| SI. No.   | Name of the State   | Programme approved (Phvsical)   | Total Financial Cost (Centre+States)   | Central share released   |
|-----------|---------------------|---------------------------------|----------------------------------------|--------------------------|
| I         | Arunachal Pradesh   | r450                            | 22t.94                                 | 100.00                   |
| )         | Assam*              |                                 |                                        |                          |
| 3.        | Bihar               | 816                             | 499.67                                 | 150.00                   |
| 4.        | Chhattisgarh        | 3300                            | 333.00                                 | 100.00                   |
| 5.        | Guiarat             | 4045                            | 2475.60                                | 720.00                   |
| 6.        | Haryana*            |                                 |                                        |                          |
| 7.        | Karnataka           | 825                             | 500.00                                 | 150.00                   |
| 8.        | Maharashtra*        |                                 |                                        |                          |
| 9.        | Manipur             | 2900                            | 215.75                                 | 97.087                   |
| 10.       | Meghalaya           | 704                             | 106.78                                 | 49.00                    |
| 1l        | Mizoram             | t45t                            | 222.00                                 | 100.00                   |
| 12.       | Nagaland            | 1480                            | 222.00                                 |                          |
| 13.       | Odisha*             |                                 |                                        |                          |
| 14.       | Punjab*             |                                 |                                        |                          |
| 15.       | Tamil Nadu          | 1 100                           | 667.00                                 | 200.00                   |
|           | Total               | 18071                           | 5463.74                                | 1666.087                 |

## Annexure referred  to in reply to parts (a) to (c) of Lok Sabha Unstarred  euestion No. 2985 for answer on 04.01.2018

## Physical and Financial Progress on Reclamation  of Problem Soils (Alkalinity/ Salinity  and Acidiry) during 2017-ZLLB  (as on 19.12.2017)

(Physical  in ha & Financial  Rs in lakh)

| Sl. No.   | Name of the State   | Programme approved (Physical)   | Total Financial Cost (Centre+States)   | Central share released   |
|-----------|---------------------|---------------------------------|----------------------------------------|--------------------------|
| 1         | Arunachal Pradesh   | 740                             | lll ll                                 | 50.00                    |
| 2.        | Assam               | 370                             | 55.55                                  |                          |
| J.        | Bihar               | 416                             | 250.00                                 | 75.00                    |
| 4.        | Chhattisgarh        | l1l0                            | 166.67                                 | 50.00                    |
| 5.        | Gujarat             | 3055                            | 1833.33                                | 550.0                    |
| 6.        | Haryana             | 138                             | 83.33                                  |                          |
| 7.        | Karnataka           | 416                             | 250.00                                 | 75.00                    |
| 8.        | Maharashtra         | 83s                             | 500.00                                 |                          |
| 9.        | Manipur             | 2963                            | 111 ll                                 | 50.00                    |
| 10.       | Meghalaya           | 485                             | 55.55                                  | 50.00*                   |
| ll        | Mizoram             | 740                             | lll ll                                 | 50.00                    |
| 12.       | Nagaland            | 1480                            | 222.00                                 | 100.00                   |
| 13.       | Odisha              | 138                             | 83.33                                  |                          |
| 14.       | Punjab              | 833                             | s00.00                                 |                          |
| 15.       | TamilNadu           | 555                             | JJJ.JJ                                 | 100.00                   |
|           | Total               | 14274                           | 4666.42                                | 1150.00                  |