Lok Sabha Question No. 988 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-24
Subject: Consolidation of Farm Land
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: A. ARUNMOZHITHEVAN

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.988

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 24 TH  JULY, 2018

## CONSOLIDATION OF FARM LAND

988.      SHRI A. ARUNMOZHITHEVAN:

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

- (a) whether 86 per cent of farmers fall into the small and marginal category in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the average farm size is 1.15 hectares and there is no efficiency of scale in the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  consolidation  of  farm  lands  is  not  possible  in  the  country  and  if  so,  the details thereof;
- (d) whether the produce of farmers needs to be aggregated; and
- (e) if so, the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## 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): According  to  the  latest  data  available  from  Agriculture  Census  2010-11,  the  marginal (below  1.00  hectare)  and  small  (1.00  -2.00  hectare)  holdings  constitute  85.01  percent  of  the total number of operational holdings in the country.
- A  statement  on  state-wise  marginal,  small  and  total  number  of  operational  holdings based on Agriculture Census 2010-11 is placed at Annexure.
- (b): According to the latest data available from Agriculture Census 2010-11, the average size of  an  operational  holding  in  the  country  is  1.15  hectare  as  compared  to  1.23  hectare  in  the previous Agriculture Census 2005-06.

However, the agricultural production in the  country has  been generally  increasing with the exception of the years affected by drought, floods, other natural calamities, etc. Therefore, there is no conclusive evidence to suggest that reduction in size of farm holding has adversely affected agricultural production in the country.

(c) to (e): Since  Agriculture  &  Land  are  state  subjects,  it  is  primarily  the  responsibility  of States to take necessary steps for development of agriculture in their respective areas based on local  needs  and  priorities.  However,  Government  of  India  supplements  the  efforts  of  States through appropriate policy measures and budgetary support.

Aggregation  of  produce  is  important  for  improving  the  bargaining  power  of  small  and marginal farmers. Government of India is promoting Farmer Producer Organisation to mobilize farmers and build their capacity to collectively leverage their production and marketing strength. The Government is also encouraging formation of Joint Liability Groups, cluster farming, etc. In addition, Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana  (PKVY),  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana  (PMKSY),  National  Food  Security Mission (NFSM), Rashtriya Krishi Vikas  Yojana (RKVY), National Agriculture Market Scheme (e-NAM) etc. have been  implemented.

Annexure

## State-wise Number and Area of Marginal and Small Operational Holdings as per Agricultural Census 2010-11

|           |                           | Number of operational holdings   | Number of operational holdings   | Number of operational holdings   |
|-----------|---------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------|
| Sl. No.   | States/UTs                | Total                            | Marginal (below 1.00 ha.)        | Small (1.00 - 2.00 ha.)          |
| 1         | 2                         | 3                                | 4                                | 5                                |
| 1         | Andhra Pradesh            | 13175100                         | 8424698                          | 2918374                          |
| 2         | Arunachal Pradesh         | 109298                           | 21456                            | 19333                            |
| 3         | Assam                     | 2720223                          | 1831115                          | 496574                           |
| 4         | Bihar                     | 16191391                         | 14744098                         | 948016                           |
| 5         | Chhattisgarh              | 3746480                          | 2182834                          | 831118                           |
| 6         | Goa                       | 78020                            | 59900                            | 9817                             |
| 7         | Gujarat                   | 4885610                          | 1815634                          | 1429021                          |
| 8         | Haryana                   | 1617311                          | 778142                           | 314818                           |
| 9         | Himachal Pradesh          | 960765                           | 670425                           | 174596                           |
| 10        | Jammu & Kashmir           | 1449397                          | 1206612                          | 167130                           |
| 11        | Jharkhand                 | 2708928                          | 1848324                          | 428861                           |
| 12        | Karnataka                 | 7832189                          | 3848834                          | 2138208                          |
| 13        | Kerala                    | 6830789                          | 6579692                          | 180171                           |
| 14        | Madhya Pradesh            | 8872377                          | 3891016                          | 2448652                          |
| 15        | Maharashtra               | 13698965                         | 6709034                          | 4052317                          |
| 16        | Manipur                   | 150620                           | 76735                            | 48850                            |
| 17        | Meghalaya                 | 209561                           | 102714                           | 57755                            |
| 18        | Mizoram                   | 91880                            | 50210                            | 29753                            |
| 19        | Nagaland                  | 178411                           | 6476                             | 20338                            |
| 20        | Odisha                    | 4667466                          | 3368296                          | 918647                           |
| 21        | Punjab                    | 1052554                          | 164431                           | 195439                           |
| 22        | Rajasthan                 | 6888436                          | 2511512                          | 1511068                          |
| 23        | Sikkim                    | 74928                            | 40476                            | 16941                            |
| 24        | Tamil Nadu                | 8118224                          | 6266555                          | 1181344                          |
| 25        | Tripura                   | 578479                           | 499054                           | 55043                            |
| 26        | Uttarakhand               | 912650                           | 672138                           | 157330                           |
| 27        | Uttar Pradesh             | 23325456                         | 18532272                         | 3035331                          |
| 28        | West Bengal               | 7123347                          | 5852681                          | 979833                           |
| 29        | Andaman & Nicobar Islands | 11803                            | 4626                             | 2415                             |
| 30        | Chandigarh                | 714                              | 453                              | 133                              |
| 31        | Dadra & Nagar Haveli      | 14724                            | 8177                             | 3903                             |
| 32        | Daman & Diu               | 8355                             | 7716                             | 458                              |
| 33        | Delhi                     | 20497                            | 11308                            | 4517                             |
| 34        | Lakshadweep               | 10285                            | 9854                             | 267                              |
| 35        | Puducherry                | 33228                            | 28481                            | 2779                             |
| All India | All India                 | 138348461                        | 92825979                         | 24779150                         |

Note: Total may not tally due to rounding off.

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