Lok Sabha Question No. 3800 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-17
Subject: Financial Package to Boost Rural Income
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: C. R. Patil

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3800

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 17 TH  MARCH, 2020

## FINANCIAL PACKAGE TO BOOST RURAL INCOME

3800.  SHRI  C.R. PATIL:

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

- (a) whether  the  Ministry  is  planning  to  give  incentives  of  financial  package  to  boost  rural income, especially to farmers;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has prepared a road map for long term sustainable solution for the farmers;
- (d) if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) the time by which the additional incentives and financial package for farmers would be considered by the Government?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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

- (a) & (b): Agriculture and farmers are backbone of rural economy. With a view to provide income support to farmers' families across the country, to enable them to take care of expenses related to agriculture and allied activities as well as domestic needs, Government launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) on 24.2.2019. Under the scheme, an amount of  Rs.  6000/-  is  transferred  directly  into  the  bank  accounts  of farmers' families  every  year,  in three 4-monthly installments of Rs. 2000/- each. Farmers falling within the purview of exclusion criteria relating to higher income status are not eligible to get the benefit.  Land owning farmers practicing animal husbandry and fisheries may also avail the benefit of this scheme subject to the exclusion criteria of the scheme.
- (c) & (d): Government has also been taking various other long term sustainable measures to boost agriculture productivity and farmers' income and rural economy. For example:
- (i)       With a view to provide better insurance coverage to crops for risk mitigation, a crop insurance  scheme  namely  Pradhan Mantri  Fasal  Bima  Yojana  (PMFBY) has  been launched, which provides insurance cover for all stages of the crop cycle including postharvest risks in specified instances, with low premium contribution by farmers.
- (ii)       Minimum Support Price (MSPs) are announced for various crops from time-totime.
- (iii)        Scheme  of  Soil  Health  Cards  (SHC)  has  been  implemented  so  that  the  use  of fertilizers can be rationalized.
- (iv)        'Per  drop  more  crop'  initiative  has  been  undertaken  under  which  drip/sprinkler irrigation  is  encouraged  for  optimal  utilization  of  water,  reducing  cost  of  inputs  and increasing productivity.
- (v) Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) has been implemented for promoting organic farming.
- (vi) e-NAM initiative has been undertaken to provide farmers an electronic, transparent  and competitive online trading platform.
- (vii) Agro  forestry  has  been  promoted  under  'Har  Medh  Par  Ped'  for  additional income.
- (viii) An Umbrella Scheme 'Pradhan Mantri Annadata  Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PMAASHA) has been launched, aimed at ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers.
- (ix) Bee  keeping  has  been  promoted  under  Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of Horticulture (MIDH) to increase the productivity of crops through pollination and increase the honey production as an additional source of income of farmers.
- (x) The  scheme  of  Kisan  Credit  Cards  (KCC)  has  been  implemented  for  easy availability  of  agricultural  credit  to  farmers,  including  animal  husbandry  and  fisheries farmers.
- (xi) Institutional agricultural credit at affordable interests has been brought within the reach  of  more  and  more  farmers.  Government  provides  interest  subvention  of  2%  on short-term  crop  loans  up  to  Rs.3.00  lakh.  Presently,  loan  is  available  to  farmers  at  an interest rate of 4% per annum on prompt repayment.
- (xii) Further, under Interest Subvention Scheme 2018-19, in order to provide relief to the farmers on occurrence of natural calamities, the interest subvention of 2% has been made  available  for  the  first  year  on  the  restructured  amount.  In  order  to  discourage distress  sale  by  farmers  and  to  encourage  them  to  store  their  produce  in  warehouses against negotiable receipts, the benefit of interest subvention will  be  available to small and marginal farmers having Kisan Credit Cards for a further period of upto six months post harvest on the same rate as available to crop loan.
- (e): Further  measures  may  be  considered  from  time  to  time  for  enhancing  the  financial condition of farmers and to boost rural economy.

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