Lok Sabha Question No. 401 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-18
Subject: Income of Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN, CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI, GAJANAN CHANDRAKANT KIRTIKAR, SUDHEER GUPTA, OM BIRLA, ABHISHEK SINGH, VIJAY KUMAR S.R., T. RADHAKRISHNAN

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.401

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 18 TH  JULY, 2017

## INCOME OF FARMERS

401.   SHRI ASHOK SHANKARRAO CHAVAN:

SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI:

SHRI GAJANAN KIRTIKAR:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI OM BIRLA:

SHRI ABHISHEK SINGH:

SHRI S.R. VIJAYAKUMAR:

SHRI T. RADHAKRISHNAN:

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

- (a) whether the Government is aware of the roadmap outlined by the NITI Aayog for reforms in agriculture sector and doubling farmers income by 2022 and if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto including the steps taken to implement the reforms and double the income of farmers by 2022;
- (b) whether the States are extremely slow on agricultural reforms as a result of which there is distress among farmers and if so, the details thereof and the reasons therefor along with the corrective measures taken by the Government in this regard to prevent spread of farmer unrest across the country;
- (c) whether the NITI Aayog has urged the Government to link part of the financial grant given to States under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana for agricultural reforms implemented by the States and if so, the details thereof and the response of the Government thereto;
- (d) whether the aforesaid arrangement will compel the States to bring significant changes in the  agriculture  marketing  and  other  pending  reforms  in  the  agriculture  sector  and  if  so,  the details thereof and the response of the Union Government thereto; and
- (e) whether the Government has identified a large number of disguised unemployed farmers in  the  country  and  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  steps  taken  to  improve  the  employment opportunities and reduce over dependency on the agriculture sector?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI  PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

- (a): Yes,  Madam.    The  Government  is  aware  of  the  roadmap  outlined  by  NITI  Aayog  for reforms  in  agriculture  sector  and doubling farmers income by 2022. The Roadmap presents a Contd…2/-

quantitative  framework  for  doubling  farmers'  income  which  has  identified  seven  sources  of growth. These are:

- (i)   increase in productivity of crops.
- (ii)  increase in production of livestock.
- (iii) improvement in efficiency of input use (cost saving).
- (iv) increase in crop intensity.
- (v) diversification towards high value crops.
- (vi) improved price realization by farmers.
- (vii) shift of cultivators to non-farm jobs.

This Policy paper was shared with the States/UTs for devising a relevant strategy so as to realize the goal of doubling farmers' income by 2022. Apart from the above, the Department has also constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee for recommending suitable strategy.

(b): Agriculture is a State subject and the State Governments are primarily responsible for the growth and development of agriculture sector in their respective States. The role of Central Government is  to  supplement  the  efforts  of  States  through  appropriate  policy  measures  and budgetary support.

(c) & (d): Yes,  Madam.    Government  proposed  to  link  a  part  of  Rashtriya  Krishi  Vikas Yojana (RKVY) grants to the States with Agricultural Marketing Reforms and Farmer Friendly Reforms Index (AMFFRI), however due to implementation issues in AMFFRI, it was not pursued further.  The  Department  is  proactively  encouraging  the  States  to  take  up  the  reforms  being advocated through other measures viz. Pre-requisite for integration to e-NAM eligibility under the Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI).  The  new  model  Marketing  Act, entitled 'Agriculture  Produce  and  Livestock  Marketing  (Promotion  &  Facilitation)  Act,  2017'  would accelerate the pace and quantity of reforms. Series of dialogues are being held at various levels to hasten this process of achieving comprehensive market reforms.

(e): The Department is working out specific interventions for promoting ancillary activities like bee-keeping and also finalizing the farm sector programmes under the 'Skill India' programme to  improve  the  employment  opportunities  and  reduce  over  dependence  on  the  agriculture sector.

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