Lok Sabha Question No. 1087 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-07-24
Subject: Diversification of Crops
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: E. T. MOHAMMED BASHEER

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1087

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  24 TH  JULY, 2018

## DIVERSIFICATION OF CROPS

1087.  SHRI E.T. MOHAMMED BASHEER:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND  FARMERS  WELFARE      ‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं  कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããè be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government has issued any guidelines on the diversification of crop; and
- (b) if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF  STATE IN THE  MINISTRY OF  AGRICULTURE AND  FARMERS  WELFARE

‡ãðŠãäÓã एवं कसान कयाण ½ãâ¨ããÊã¾ã ½ãñâ Àã·¾ã ½ãâ¨ããè ( SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a) & (b): Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare (DAC&FW) is implementing Crop Diversification Programme (CDP), a sub scheme of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas  Yojana  (RKVY)  in  Original  Green  Revolution  States  of  Punjab,  Haryana  and Western  Uttar  Pradesh  to  promote  diversification  from  water  guzzling  paddy  crop  to alternative crops, to restore soil fertility and arrest the depletion of ground water since 2013-14.  CDP  has  been  extended  to  the  States  of  Andhra  Pradesh,  Bihar,  Gujarat, Karnataka,  Maharashtra,  Odisha,  Tamil  Nadu,  Telangana,  Uttar  Pradesh  and  West Bengal  to  divert  tobacco  area  to  alternative  crops/cropping  system  w.e.f.  2015-16. Department of Agriculture, Maharashtra has not implemented the scheme as their area is negligible under tobacco.

As per provision/guideline of CDP, assistance is given on four major components i.e.  alternative crop demonstrations, farm mechanization & value addition, site-specific activities  and  contingency  for  awareness,  training,  implementation,  monitoring,  etc. based on the proposal from the implementing states. The alternative crops like pulses, oilseeds,  nutri/coarse  cereals,  cotton  and  agro-forestry  plantation  are  promoted  in Punjab,  Haryana  and  Western  Uttar  Pradesh  to  replace  paddy.  Both  Agriculture  and Horticulture crops are promoted to replace tobacco in tobacco growing areas.

Under  RKVY,  State  Government  can  undertake  activities  for  diversification  of crop  depending  on  state  specific  needs/priorities  with  the  approval  by  State  Level Sanctioning Committee (SLSC) headed by Chief Secretary of the State.

-2-

Crop  production  technology  of  various  agricultural  and  horticultural  crops grown  in  different  regions  and  ecologies  are  also  promoted  through  other  ongoing schemes  of  DAC&FW  like  National  Food  Security  Mission  (NFSM),  Bringing  Green Revolution  to  Eastern  India  (BGREI),  National  Mission  on  Oilseeds  and  Oil  Palm (NMOOP), National  Mission  for  Sustainable  Agriculture  (NMSA),  National  Mission  on Agricultural Extension & Technology (NMAET), Soil Health Card Scheme, Paramparagat  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (PKVY),  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana (PMKSY), Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) etc.

******