Lok Sabha Question No. 3579 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-10
Subject: Measures to Improve Agriculture
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Parvesh Sahib Singh

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3579

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 10 TH  DECEMBER, 2019

## MEASURES TO IMPROVE AGRICULTURE

3579.  SHRI PARVESH SAHIB SINGH VERMA:

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

- (a) the steps taken by the Government with regard to policies, schemes and collaborations for better storage, transport and marketing of agriculture produce in India;
- (b) the steps taken by the Government with regard to policies, schemes and collaborations for development of technology for the aid of farmers in India; and
- (c) the  list  of  other  schemes  and  programmes  being  undertaken  by  the  Government  for economic empowerment of farmers in India?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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

- (a): The  Government has taken a number of steps for providing  better storage, transport and marketing facilities for agriculture produce in India.

Government of India has circulated a new model 'The Agriculture Produce and Livestock Marketing (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2017' to States/Union Territories (UTs) for its adoption with  an  objective  of  promoting  alternative  competitive  marketing    channels  and  investment  in post harvest marketing infrastructure including storage facilities for agriculture produce for better price realization by farmers.

Further, considering the importance of integrating farmers with agro-industries with the objectives  to  mitigate  market  and  price  uncertainties,  reduce  post-harvest  losses,  promoting post  harvest  infrastructure  for  better  marketing    and  create  rural  employment,  Department formulated  and  circulated  a  model  Act;  'The  ---State/  UT  Agricultural  Produce  and  Livestock Contract Farming & Services (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2018' to states for adoption.

The  Government  is  providing  better  scientific  storage  facilities  for  the  farmers  in  the country  through  the  scheme  of  'Agricultural  Marketing  Infrastructure  (AMI)',  which  is  a  subscheme  of  Integrated Scheme  for  Agricultural Marketing  (ISAM).  Under  AMI  Scheme, Refrigerated Van as a transport vehicle is eligible for subsidy assistance for Integrated Value Chain (IVC) projects.

Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture  (MIDH)  provides  assistance  for development of post  harvest  management and marketing infrastructure such  as  cold  storage facilities, ripening chamber, pack houses, reefer vehicles to farmers to improve marketability of their produce.

Further,  in  order  to  develop  the  marketing  infrastructure  including  storage  and  cold storage  etc.,  the  Government  is  implementing  Rashtriya  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana-Remunerative Approaches for Agriculture and Allied  Sector  Rejuvenation  (RKVY-RAFTAAR)  Scheme including  with  Public  Private  Partnership  for  Integrated  Agricultural  Development  (PPPIAD) projects.

In  addition  to  above,  Under  National  Programme  for  Dairy  Development  (NPDD), marketing infrastructure for preserving/maintaining quality of milk such as  insulated/refrigerated tanks/vans  etc.  are  provided.  Under  Dairy  Entrepreneurship  Development  Scheme  (DEDS), assistance is provided for the activities such as enhancement of milk production, preservation, transportation, processing and marketing of milk.

Further, the Government is promoting development of produce clusters through formation of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs).

(b): The Government has taken several steps for development of technology for the aid of farmers in India.

National e-Governance Plan in Agriculture (NeGPA) aims to achieve rapid development in  India  through  use  of  Information  &  Communication  Technology  (ICT)  for  timely  access  to agriculture related information for the farmers.

The  Government  has  also  developed  and  made  functional      SMS/  mKisan    Portal (www.mkisan.gov.in)  for     sending  advisories on various crop related matters to the registered farmers through SMSs. Mobile telephony has transformed the tenor of farmers life also.

Various  mobile  applications  including Kisan  Suvidha have  also  been  developed  to facilitate dissemination of information to farmers on the critical parameters viz., Weather, Market Prices, Plant  Protection, Agro-advisory,  Extreme  Weather  Alerts,  Dealers  -  Seed,  Pesticide, Fertilizer,  Farm  Machinery,  Call  to  Kisan  Call  Centre,  Soil  Health  Card  and  Cold  Storage  & Godowns.

Under Market Research & Information Network (MRIN) Scheme, support is provided to the States towards setting up and maintain connectivity with Agmarknet portal for collection and dissemination of market information on arrivals and prices of agri-commodities.

Government  is  implementing  National  Agriculture  Market  (e-NAM)  scheme  wherein online trading of agriculture and horticulture commodities is done for transparent price discovery for farmers for their produce through competitive online bidding system.

Under Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM), the Government is increasing the reach of farm mechanization to small and marginal farmers, creating hubs for hi-tech & high value farm equipments.

(c): Government has undertaken various scheme and programme for economic empowerment of farmers in India such as  National Food Security Mission (NFSM) Programme, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN ), Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojna (PM-KMY), Paramparagat  Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY),  Pardhan Mantri Annadata  Aay Sanrakshan  Abhiyan  (PM-AASHA),  Pradhan  Mantri  Kisan  SAMPADA  Yojana  (Scheme  for Agro-Marine Processing and Development of Agro-Processing Clusters) etc.

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