Lok Sabha Question No. 5011 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-23
Subject: Zero Budget Natural Farming
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Dr. T. Sumathy (a) Thamizhachi Thangapandian

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.5011

TO BE ANSWERED ON 23 RD  JULY, 2019

## ZERO BUDGET NATURAL FARMING

5011.  DR. T. SUMATHY (A) THAMIZHACHI THANGAPANDIAN:

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

- (a) whether the Government is planning to promote Zero Budget Natural Farming (ZBNF) to double the income of farmers by 2022, if so, the details thereof along with the details of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana and Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana and whether these are related to ZBNF, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether  the  Government  is  claiming  to  double  income  of  farmers  by  2022  through various  schemes,  if  so,  the  details  of  all  such  schemes  announced  during  the  last  three years;
- (c) whether ZBNF is being practiced by the farmers anywhere in the country, if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether ZBNF is being used globally, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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

- (a): Organic  farming  practices  including  Zero-Budget  Natural  Farming  (ZBNF)  promote use of low cost inputs, hence, lead to savings to farmers. Realizing the potential and benefits of  organic  farming  in  the  country,  Government  of  India  has  been  promoting  organic farming for  the  welfare  of  farmers  through  the  dedicated  scheme  of  Paramparagat  Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) since 2015-16. Under PKVY, flexibility is given to States to adopt any model of organic farming including ZBNF depending on farmers' choice.

Under  Rashtriya  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (RKVY), States  can  avail  funds  for  any agriculture development projects including ZBNF  with the approval of State Level Sanctioning Committee (SLSC). The State of Andhra Pradesh has been implementing ZBNF under RKVY scheme.

- (b): Various interventions have been taken by the Government for implementing recommendations of Doubling of Farmer's Income (DFI), which are given at Annexure-I.

(c) & (d): The following States are practicing ZBNF under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) & Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY):

(i)  Government  of  Andhra  Pradesh  has  been  promoting  ZBNF  through  Rythu  Sadhikara Samstha (RySS). As on date, the programme has reached out to 5.23 lakh farmers in 3011 villages duly touching all 664 mandals in AP, across all the 13 districts, covering an area of 5.01 lakh acres under PKVY and RKVY.

(ii)  Karnataka  has  initiated  implementation  of  ZBNF  in  the  10  Agro-climatic  zones  on Operational Research Project (ORP) mode.

(iii)  Himachal  Pradesh  has  taken  up  ZBNF  in  their  State  through  scheme  'Prakritik  Kheti Khushal Kisan'.

(iv) Haryana has taken ZBNF in 80 acres land at Gurukul, District Kurukshetra.

(v) Kerala State has planned to take-up ZBNF.

## Various interventions has been taken by the Government for implementing recommendations of Doubling of Farmer's Income (DFI)

- (i) Distribution  of  Soil  Health  Cards  to  farmers  so  that  the  use  of  fertilizers  can  be optimized.
- (ii) Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayi  Yojana  (PMKSY)-  Per  drop  more  crop  (PDMC) initiative under which drip/sprinkler irrigation is being encouraged,  for optimal utilization of water, reducing cost of inputs and increasing productivity.
- (iii) 'Paramparagat  Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)' for promoting organic farming.
- (iv) Launch of e-NAM initiative to provide farmers an electronic online trading platform.
- (v)      A crop insurance scheme namely Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) providing insurance cover for all stages of the crop cycle including postharvest risks in specified instances, with low premium contribution by farmers for risk mitigation has been launched.
- (vi) Under 'Har Medh Par Ped', agro forestry is being promoted for additional  income.
- (vi) Giving  a  major  boost  for  the  farmers  income,  the  Government  has  approved  the increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSPs) for all Kharif & Rabi crops for 2018-19 season at a   level of at least 150 percent of the cost of production.
- (viii) Giving a major boost to the pro-farmer initiatives, the Government has approved a new Umbrella Scheme 'Pradhan Mantri Annadata  Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)' aimed at ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers for their produce as announced in the Union Budget for 2018. This is an unprecedented step taken by Govt. of India to protect the farmers' income which is expected to go a long way towards the welfare of 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) Rashtriya Gokul Mission to enhance milk production and productivity of bovines and to make milk production more remunerative to the farmers.
- (xi) National  Livestock  Mission  to  increase  productivity  and  genetic  improvement  of livestock.
- (xii)     Foreseeing high potential in fisheries sector, a Blue Revolution with multi dimensional activities  mainly  focusing  on  fisheries  production,  both  inland  and  marine  is  being implemented.
- (xiii)    Extending the reach of institutional credit to more and more farmers is priority area of the Government  and  to achieve this goal, the Government  provides interest subvention  of  3%  on  short-term  crop  loans  up  to  Rs.3.00  lakh.  Presently,  loan  is available to farmers at an interest rate of 7% per annum, which gets reduced to 4% on prompt repayment.
- (xiv)    Government  sets  annual  target  for  the  flow  of  credit  to  the  agriculture  sector,  Banks have  been  consistently  surpassing  the  annual  target.  The  current  year's  agriculture credit flow target has been set at Rs. 13.50 lakh crore.
- (xv)     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%  shall continue to be available to banks 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 Card for a further period of upto six months post harvest on the same rate as available to crop loan.
- (xvi) The Government has approved for giving the facility of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to the farmers  practicing  animal  husbandry  and  fisheries  related  activities  and  has  also decided to extend the Interest Subvention Facilities to such categories of farmers.
- (xvii) With a view to provide income support to all farmers' families across the country, to enable them to take care of expenses related to agriculture and allied activities as well as domestic needs, the Central Government started a new Central Sector Scheme, namely, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAmman Nidhi (PM-KISAN). The scheme aims to provide a payment of Rs. 6000/- per year, in three 4-monthly instalments of Rs. 2000/to the farmers families, subject to certain exclusions relating to higher income groups. About 14.5 crore farmers are expected to be covered under the Scheme.
- (xviii)    Further  with  a  view  to  provide  social  security  net  for  Small  and  Marginal  Farmers (SMF) 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  Government  has  decided  to implement another new Central Sector Scheme for providing old age pension to these farmers. Under this Scheme, a minimum fixed pension of Rs. 3000/- will be provided to  the  eligible  small  and  marginal  farmers,  subject  to  certain  exclusion  clauses,  on attaining the age of 60 years. The scheme aims to cover around 5 crore beneficiaries in the first three years. It would be a voluntary and contributory pension scheme, with entry age of 18 to 40 years. The Government has approved a budgetary provision of Rs. 10774.50 crore for the scheme till March, 2022.

******