Lok Sabha Question No. 1451 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-25
Subject: Funds to Women Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: PARAYAMPARANBIL KUTTAPPAN BIJU

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

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1451

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 25 TH  JULY, 2017

## FUNDS TO WOMEN FARMERS

## 1451.  SHRI P.K. BIJU:

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

- (a) whether it is a fact that the Government allocates a fixed amount/fund to women farmers to  ensure  the  participation  of  women  in  all  its  schemes  and  programmes,  if  so,  the  details thereof; and
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  special  steps  to  make  women  co-operatives robust and effective during the last two years 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 PARSHOTTAM RUPALA)

- (a): Yes, Madam. The Department of Agriculture & Cooperation and Farmers Welfare, as a part  of  its  mainstreaming  efforts  ensures  flow  of  funds  to  the  tune  of  30%  for  the  benefit  of women  farmers  under  its  various  beneficiary  oriented  schemes.  The  guidelines  of  schemes namely Support to State Extension programmes for Extension Reforms; National Food Security Mission; National Mission on Oilseed & Oil Palm; National Mission on Sustainable Agriculture; Sub-Mission  for  Seed  and  Planting  Material;  Sub-Mission  on  Agricultural  Mechanization  and Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture  stipulate that States and other Implementing Agencies are required to incur at least 30% expenditure on Women.
- (b): Yes, Madam.  In  consonance  with the Government  Policy, National Cooperative Development Corporation (NCDC) encourages women cooperatives to avail financial assistance  under  its  various  schemes.  A  large  number  of  women  members  are  involved  in cooperatives  dealing  with  fruits  &  vegetables,  Integrated  Cooperative  Development  (ICD) Projects-    sugarcane  processing,  consumer  stores,  handloom,  power  loom,  spinning  & sericulture activities etc. The cooperatives exclusively promoted by women are covered under Weaker Section Programme for the purpose of availing subsidy under Central Sector Integrated Scheme on Agricultural Cooperation.

To promote women's active participation in the governance in cooperatives, NCDC has also been organizing training programmes for Women Directors of Cooperative Societies.

The details of assistance sanctioned & released in 2016-17 and 2015-16  exclusively to Women Cooperatives are as under:

## 2016-17

-  Against  sanctioned  assistance  of  Rs.552.70  crore  to  14  units,  NCDC  has  released Rs. 554.89 crore for the projects sanctioned to women cooperatives.

## 2015-16

-  Against sanctioned assistance of Rs 2.04 crore, NCDC has released Rs.3.55 crore to Integrated Cooperative Development (ICD) projects.

A National Workshop on 'Strengthening Women Cooperatives' was conducted jointly by the  NCDC  and  the  National  Cooperative  Union  of  India  (NCUI)  in  March  2017  which  was attended  by  approximately  200  women  cooperators  representing  most  of  the  States/Union Territories in the country.

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