Lok Sabha Question No. 5261 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-27
Subject: Reduction in Agricultural Cost
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: NATUBHAI GOMANBHAI PATEL

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5261

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  27 TH  MARCH, 2018

## REDUCTION IN AGRICULTURAL COST

5261.    SHRI NATUBHAI GOMANBHAI PATEL:

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

- (a) whether the Government is formulating any scheme to reduce agricultural cost and to increase the production so as to overcome agricultural crisis, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government is considering to take the assistance of NITI Aayog in this regard;
- (c) if so, the details of the scheme and the time by which it is likely to be launched; and
- (d) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF  STATE IN THE  MINISTRY OF  AGRICULTURE AND  FARMERS  WELFARE ‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं  कसान  कयाण ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã  ½ãñâ  Àã·¾ã  ½ãâ¨ããè (  SHRI PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

(a) to (d): No, Madam. However,  the Government is implementing various schemes to synchronies with higher gains for the farmers. Details are as follows:-

-  For higher production through productivity gains
- o National Food  Security  Mission  (NFSM)-  cereals,  pulses,  oilseeds, nutri-rich cereals, commercial crops
- o Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture  (MIDH)-  high  growth  rate  of horticulture crops.
-  For reduction in cost of cultivation
- o Soil Health Card (SHC) (2 year cycle)- ensure judicious use of fertilizer application and thus save money of farmers.
- o Neem Coated Urea (NCU) (universal)- is being promoted to regulate use of urea, enhance availability of nitrogen to the crop and reduce cost of fertilizer application
- o The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) - micro irrigation component (1.2 million ha/yr target)- with the motto of 'Har Khet Ko Paani' for providing end-to-

end  solutions  in  irrigation  supply  chain,  comprising  water  sources,  distribution network and farm level applications.

- o Paramparagat Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (PKVY)  -  PKVY  is  being  implemented  with  a view to promote organic farming in the country.  This will improve soil health and organic  matter  content  and  increase  net  income  of  the  farmer  so  as  to  realise premium prices.
-  To ensure remunerative returns
- o National  Agriculture  Market  Scheme  (e-NAM)  is  an  innovative  market  process  to revolutionize agri-markets by ensuring better price discovery, bringing in transparency and competition to enable farmers to get improved remuneration for their produce moving towards 'One Nation One Market'
- o A  new  model  'The  Agricultural  Produce  and  Livestock  Marketing  (Promotion  & Facilitation)  Act,  2017'  has  been  released  on  24th  April,  2017  for  its  adoption  by States/UTs. This has been derived after many deliberations over the earlier model APMC Act 2003 and the need for inclusion of progressive reforms required in the agriculture  marketing  sector.    In  the  Model  APLM  Act,  2017,  provisions    includes setting  up of  private  markets,  direct  marketing, farmer-consumer markets, special commodity markets, declaring warehouses/silos/cold storages or such structures as market  sub  yards.  The  model  Act  is  in  different  stages  of  adoption  by  various states.
- o Warehousing  and  post-harvest  loans  at  concessional  rate  of  interest  so  as  to discourage distress sale by farmers and to encourage them to store their produce in warehouses against negotiable receipts.
- o Minimum Support Price (MSP) is notified by the Government for certain crops.
- o Procurement of oilseeds, pulses and cotton are undertaken by central agencies at MSP under Price  Support  Scheme  (PSS)  at  the  request  of  the  concerned  State Government.
- o Market  Intervention  Scheme  (MIS)  for  procurement  of  agriculture  &  horticulture products, which are perishable in nature and are not covered under PSS.
-  For risk management and sustainable practices.
- o Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) & Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance  Scheme  (RWCIS)  (cover  50%  GCA  by  2018-19)-  provides  insurance cover  at  all  stages  of  the  crop  cycle  including  post-harvest  risks  in  specified instances and available to the farmers at very low rates of premium.
- o Paramparagat Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (PKVY)-  is  being  implemented  with  a  view  to promote organic farming in the country.  This will improve soil health and organic matter content and increase net income of the farmer
- o Mission  organic  Farming  in  North-East-  MoVCD  (NE)  -  Realizing  the  potential  of organic farming in the North Eastern Region of the country.

The  NITI  Aayog  has  brought  a  Policy  document  on  'Doubling  of  Farmers' Income :  Rationale,  Strategy,  Prospects  and  Action  Plan'  wherein  it  is  indicated  the reducing of the cost of cultivation.  The Department has also constituted a Committee to examine issues relating to doubling of farmers' income by the year 2022.

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