Lok Sabha Question No. 607 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-25
Subject: New Schemes for Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Bheemrao Baswanthrao Patil

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.607

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  25 TH  JUNE, 2019

## NEW SCHEMES FOR FARMERS

## 607. SHRI B.B.PATIL:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  rolled  out  new  initiatives,  schemes,  programmes  and plans to benefit all the farmers and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has reviewed the performance of the schemes implemented for  doubling the farmers' income by 2022 and if so, the shortcomings noticed which create hindrance in doubling the farmers' income;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to mitigate the shortcomings; and
- (d) the  extent  to  which  these  new  initiatives,  schemes,  programmes  and  plans  have improved the quality of life of farmers, especially small and marginal farmers?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी ( SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a): Government is implementing various missions and schemes aimed at improvement in agriculture production, productivity as well as upliftment of farmers. Recently, the Government has initiated  the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme, effective from 1.12.2018,  to  provide  income  support  to  all  small  and  marginal  landholder  farmer  families across the country, subject to certain exclusions, to enable them to take care of expenses related to agriculture and allied activities as well as domestic needs. The Scheme provides a payment of Rs.6000/-  per  year  in  three  4-monthly  instalments  of  Rs.2000/-  to  the  farmers' families with cultivable land holding up to 2 hectare, subject to certain exclusions relating to higher income groups. The ambit of the Scheme has now been expanded to cover all farmers in the country irrespective of the size of their land holdings subject to all other exclusions.

Further,  the  Government has recently approved a pension scheme for all Small and Marginal Farmers (SMF) in the country, subject to certain exclusion clauses, with a view to provide them a social security net as they have minimal or no savings to provide for old age and to support them in the event of consequent loss of livelihood. The scheme provides for payment  of  a  minimum  fixed  pension  of  Rs.3,000/-  per  month  to  the  eligible  farmers  on attaining the age of 60 years. It is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme, with entry age  of  18  to  40  years.  The  beneficiary  can  opt  to  become  a  member  of  the  Scheme  by subscribing  to  a  Pension  Fund,  managed  by  the  Life  Insurance  Corporation  (LIC).  For example, the beneficiary is required to contribute Rs 100/ - per month in the pension fund at median  entry  age  of  29  years,  with  matching  contribution  of  Rs.100  by  the  Central Government.

(b) to (c): The  Government  of  India  continuously  evaluates  the  performance  of  all Centrally Sponsored and Central Sector Schemes, all of which contribute to the objective of doubling  of  farmers  income  by  2022.  Impact  and  concurrent  evaluations  of  schemes  are carried  to  rectify  shortcomings.    As  a  result  of  such  an  evaluation,  the  RKVY  scheme  was revamped  as  RKVY-RAFTAAR  to  focus  on  pre  and  post  harvest  management  and  value chain linked project.

(d): The new initiatives, schemes will contribute to improving the quality of life of farmers, especially small and marginal farmers.

The  newly  launched  Scheme  PM-KISAN  has  already  provided  financial  benefit  to 33,082,811 farmers amounting to Rs. 66,165,622,000/- up to 31.03.2019. During the current financial  year  further  financial  assistance  amounting  to  Rs.  57,730,076,000/-  has  been provided to 28,865,038 farmers from 01.04.2019 to 19.06.2019.

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