Lok Sabha Question No. 5155 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-27
Subject: Unutilised Arable Land
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: RAMCHARAN BOHARA

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5155

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 27 TH  MARCH, 2018

## UNUTILISED ARABLE LAND

5155.  SHRI RAM CHARAN BOHRA:

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

- (a) whether  a  major  part  of  arable  land  is  lying  unutilised/barren  in  various  parts  of  the country including Rajasthan;
- (b) if so, the details thereof, Statewise;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  formulated  any  policy  in  consultation  with  the  States  to convert barren land into arable land;
- (d) `if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

(a) & (b): As  per  the  Report  on  Land  Use  Statistics  for  2014-15  (latest  available),  the agricultural land consists of (i) net area sown, (ii) current fallow land (iii) fallow land other than current  fallow  land  (iv)  culturable  wasteland  (v)  land  under  misc.  tree,  crops  and  groves  not included  in  net  area  sown.  The  details  of  area  under  arable  (agricultural)  land  and  arable (agricultural)  land  lying  unutilised  (culturable  waste  land  and  Fallow  land  other  than  current fallow) or barren in various parts of the country including Rajasthan is given at Annexure.

The area of agricultural land lying unused or barren may be either fallow or covered with shrubs and jungles, which are not put to any use. They may be accessible or inaccessible and may lie in isolated blocks or within cultivated holdings.

(c) to (e): As per Seventh Schedule of Constitution of India, land comes under the purview of  State Government and, therefore, it is for the State Governments to take suitable steps to convert barren land into arable land.

However,  National  Rehabilitation  and  Resettlement  Policy  -  2007  (NRRP-2007)  has recommended that as far as possible, projects may be set up on waste land, degraded land or un-irrigated  land.    Acquisition  of  irrigated,  multi-cropped  agricultural  land  for  non-agricultural uses  may   be  kept  to  the  minimum and avoided, to the extent possible.  Further, Ministry of

Rural Development is implementing an Integrated Watershed Management Programme (IWMP) for development of rainfed/ degraded areas.  The IWMP has been converted to the Watershed Component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) from the financial year 2015-16  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,  horticulture,  pasture  development,  livelihoods for assetless persons etc.

Government of India is also implementing National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) with a view to prevent soil erosion, land degradation and also to maintain balance in various types of land uses across the country.  Under this mission all types of land including wastelands/barren  land  are  developed  with  suitable  need  based  soil  and  water  conservation measures and parts of such degraded lands developed are put to agricultural practices, leading to net sown area remaining largely unchanged around 141 million ha. in last two decades.

Further, under the National Policy for Farmers -2007 (NPF-2007), State Governments  have  been  advised  to  earmark  lands  with  low  biological  potential    such  as uncultivable  land,  land  affected  by  salinity,  acidity,  etc.,  for  non-agricultural  development activities, including industrial and construction activities.

| Annexure Annexure referred in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 5155 due for answer on 27.03.2018   | Annexure Annexure referred in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 5155 due for answer on 27.03.2018   | Annexure Annexure referred in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 5155 due for answer on 27.03.2018   | Annexure Annexure referred in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 5155 due for answer on 27.03.2018   | Annexure Annexure referred in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 5155 due for answer on 27.03.2018   | Annexure Annexure referred in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 5155 due for answer on 27.03.2018   | Annexure Annexure referred in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 5155 due for answer on 27.03.2018   | Annexure Annexure referred in reply to part (a) of Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 5155 due for answer on 27.03.2018   |
|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| STATES/UTs                                                                                                              | Agricultural Land                                                                                                       | Land under misc. tree crops& groves (not incl. in net area sown)                                                        | Culturable waste land                                                                                                   | Fallow lands other than current fallows                                                                                 | Current fallows                                                                                                         | Net Area Sown                                                                                                           | Arable (agricultural) land lying unutilised or barren                                                                   |
| (1)                                                                                                                     | (2)                                                                                                                     | (3)                                                                                                                     | (4)                                                                                                                     | (5)                                                                                                                     | (6)                                                                                                                     | (7)                                                                                                                     | (8)=col (4) + col (5)                                                                                                   |
| ANDHRA PRADESH                                                                                                          | 9047                                                                                                                    | 159                                                                                                                     | 391                                                                                                                     | 858                                                                                                                     | 1401                                                                                                                    | 6236                                                                                                                    | 1250                                                                                                                    |
| ARUNACHAL PRADESH                                                                                                       | 423                                                                                                                     | 35                                                                                                                      | 62                                                                                                                      | 65                                                                                                                      | 36                                                                                                                      | 225                                                                                                                     | 127                                                                                                                     |
| ASSAM                                                                                                                   | 3364                                                                                                                    | 220                                                                                                                     | 142                                                                                                                     | 87                                                                                                                      | 87                                                                                                                      | 2827                                                                                                                    | 229                                                                                                                     |
| BIHAR                                                                                                                   | 6579                                                                                                                    | 248                                                                                                                     | 45                                                                                                                      | 119                                                                                                                     | 889                                                                                                                     | 5278                                                                                                                    | 164                                                                                                                     |
| CHHATTISGARH                                                                                                            | 5558                                                                                                                    | 1                                                                                                                       | 351                                                                                                                     | 258                                                                                                                     | 267                                                                                                                     | 4681                                                                                                                    | 609                                                                                                                     |
| GOA                                                                                                                     | 197                                                                                                                     | 1                                                                                                                       | 53                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                         | 15                                                                                                                      | 129                                                                                                                     | 53                                                                                                                      |
| GUJARAT                                                                                                                 | 12661                                                                                                                   | 4                                                                                                                       | 1960                                                                                                                    | 16                                                                                                                      | 379                                                                                                                     | 10302                                                                                                                   | 1976                                                                                                                    |
| HARYANA                                                                                                                 | 3656                                                                                                                    | 9                                                                                                                       | 17                                                                                                                      | 22                                                                                                                      | 86                                                                                                                      | 3522                                                                                                                    | 39                                                                                                                      |
| HIMACHAL PRADESH                                                                                                        | 812                                                                                                                     | 64                                                                                                                      | 122                                                                                                                     | 22                                                                                                                      | 54                                                                                                                      | 550                                                                                                                     | 144                                                                                                                     |
| JAMMU & KASHMIR                                                                                                         | 1075                                                                                                                    | 57                                                                                                                      | 139                                                                                                                     | 15                                                                                                                      | 106                                                                                                                     | 758                                                                                                                     | 154                                                                                                                     |
| JHARKHAND                                                                                                               | 4343                                                                                                                    | 98                                                                                                                      | 353                                                                                                                     | 1122                                                                                                                    | 1386                                                                                                                    | 1385                                                                                                                    | 1475                                                                                                                    |
| KARNATAKA                                                                                                               | 12827                                                                                                                   | 277                                                                                                                     | 409                                                                                                                     | 525                                                                                                                     | 1572                                                                                                                    | 10044                                                                                                                   | 935                                                                                                                     |
| KERALA                                                                                                                  | 2266                                                                                                                    | 3                                                                                                                       | 101                                                                                                                     | 55                                                                                                                      | 65                                                                                                                      | 2043                                                                                                                    | 155                                                                                                                     |
| MADHYA PRADESH                                                                                                          | 17252                                                                                                                   | 20                                                                                                                      | 1010                                                                                                                    | 483                                                                                                                     | 388                                                                                                                     | 15351                                                                                                                   | 1493                                                                                                                    |
| MAHARASHTRA                                                                                                             | 21099                                                                                                                   | 249                                                                                                                     | 919                                                                                                                     | 1188                                                                                                                    | 1399                                                                                                                    | 17345                                                                                                                   | 2107                                                                                                                    |
| MANIPUR                                                                                                                 | 390                                                                                                                     | 6                                                                                                                       | 1                                                                                                                       | 0                                                                                                                       | 0                                                                                                                       | 383                                                                                                                     | 1                                                                                                                       |
| MEGHALAYA                                                                                                               | 1056                                                                                                                    | 165                                                                                                                     | 390                                                                                                                     | 155                                                                                                                     | 60                                                                                                                      | 286                                                                                                                     | 545                                                                                                                     |
| MIZORAM                                                                                                                 | 367                                                                                                                     | 41                                                                                                                      | 7                                                                                                                       | 127                                                                                                                     | 47                                                                                                                      | 145                                                                                                                     | 135                                                                                                                     |
| NAGALAND                                                                                                                | 694                                                                                                                     | 92                                                                                                                      | 68                                                                                                                      | 99                                                                                                                      | 50                                                                                                                      | 384                                                                                                                     | 167                                                                                                                     |
| ODISHA                                                                                                                  | 6784                                                                                                                    | 211                                                                                                                     | 550                                                                                                                     | 631                                                                                                                     | 918                                                                                                                     | 4474                                                                                                                    | 1181                                                                                                                    |
| PUNJAB                                                                                                                  | 4285                                                                                                                    | 8                                                                                                                       | 69                                                                                                                      | 6                                                                                                                       | 83                                                                                                                      | 4119                                                                                                                    | 75                                                                                                                      |
| RAJASTHAN SIKKIM                                                                                                        | 25511 97                                                                                                                | 26                                                                                                                      | 4038 4                                                                                                                  | 2069 5                                                                                                                  | 1856                                                                                                                    | 17521                                                                                                                   | 6107 9                                                                                                                  |
| TAMIL NADU                                                                                                              | 8112                                                                                                                    | 4                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                         | 7                                                                                                                       | 77                                                                                                                      | 2059                                                                                                                    |
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                         | 236                                                                                                                     | 325                                                                                                                     | 1734                                                                                                                    | 998                                                                                                                     | 4819                                                                                                                    |                                                                                                                         |
| TELANGANA TRIPURA                                                                                                       | 6877 272                                                                                                                | 112 11                                                                                                                  | 183 3                                                                                                                   | 805 2                                                                                                                   | 1401 1                                                                                                                  | 4377 255                                                                                                                | 988 5                                                                                                                   |
| UTTARAKHAND                                                                                                             | 1549 18939                                                                                                              | 388                                                                                                                     | 317                                                                                                                     | 86 509                                                                                                                  | 57 1122                                                                                                                 | 700                                                                                                                     | 403                                                                                                                     |
| UTTAR PRADESH                                                                                                           |                                                                                                                         | 305                                                                                                                     | 405                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                         | 16598                                                                                                                   | 915                                                                                                                     |
| ANDAMAN & NICOBAR ISLANDS                                                                                               | 28                                                                                                                      | 4                                                                                                                       | 3                                                                                                                       | 3                                                                                                                       | 3                                                                                                                       | 15                                                                                                                      | 6                                                                                                                       |
| WESTBENGAL                                                                                                              | 5655                                                                                                                    | 49                                                                                                                      | 17                                                                                                                      | 11                                                                                                                      | 339                                                                                                                     | 5238                                                                                                                    | 28                                                                                                                      |
| CHANDIGARH                                                                                                              | 1                                                                                                                       | 0                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                       | 0                                                                                                                       | 1                                                                                                                       | 0                                                                                                                       |
| DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI                                                                                                    | 24                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                         | 0                                                                                                                       | 2                                                                                                                       | 2                                                                                                                       | 19                                                                                                                      | 3                                                                                                                       |
| DAMAN & DIU                                                                                                             | 3                                                                                                                       | 0                                                                                                                       | 0                                                                                                                       | 0                                                                                                                       | 0                                                                                                                       | 3                                                                                                                       | 0                                                                                                                       |
|                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                         | 10                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                         |
| DELHI                                                                                                                   | 53                                                                                                                      | 1 1                                                                                                                     |                                                                                                                         | 8                                                                                                                       | 12                                                                                                                      | 22                                                                                                                      | 18                                                                                                                      |
|                                                                                                                         | 2                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                         | 2                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                         |
| LAKSHADWEEP                                                                                                             |                                                                                                                         | 3104                                                                                                                    | 12469                                                                                                                   |                                                                                                                         | 5                                                                                                                       | 16                                                                                                                      | 7                                                                                                                       |
| PUDUCHERRY                                                                                                              | 29                                                                                                                      |                                                                                                                         | 5                                                                                                                       | 3                                                                                                                       |                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                         |
| ALL INDIA                                                                                                               | 181886                                                                                                                  |                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                         | 11092                                                                                                                   | 15091                                                                                                                   | 140130                                                                                                                  | 23561                                                                                                                   |
| Source: Directorate of Economics                                                                                        | & Statistics, Ministry                                                                                                  | of                                                                                                                      | Agriculture and                                                                                                         | Farmers Welfare.                                                                                                        |                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                         |                                                                                                                         |

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