Lok Sabha Question No. 220 (STARRED), answered on 2019-12-03
Subject: Damage of Crops by Wild/Stray Animals
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Kaushalendra Kumar, Narendra Kumar

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, COOPERATION & FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 220

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE   3 RD  DECEMBER, 2019

## DAMAGE OF CROPS BY WILD/STRAY ANIMALS

- *220.       SHRI KAUSHALENDRA KUMAR: SHRI NARENDRA KUMAR:

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

- (a) whether farmers' crops are being damaged by wild animals/stray animals including cattle  in  many  States  of  the  country  and  the  farmers  have  to  protect  their  crops  by remaining awake all night, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether any study/survey has been conducted on the damage to crops due to wild animals and stray cattle and the loss incurred by the farmers in States including Rajasthan during the last three years, if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the affected farmers are being compensated for their losses and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has taken any effective steps to protect the crops/ farms and if so, the details thereof; and
- (e) whether the Government has proposed or is proposing any new programme in this regard and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी

(SHRI NARENDRA  SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 220  DUE FOR REPLY ON 3 RD  DECEMBER, 2019.

(a): The  wild  and  stray  cattle/animals  cause  damage  to  crops  in  many  states  of  the country.  The farmers protect their crops using various methods viz; individual and collective protection, barbed wire fencing, erection of physical barriers etc. (b): The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare does not conduct assessment/study for the value of loss to the field crops by wild animals and stray cattle.  The quantum loss of crops destroyed by stray cattle and wild animals are managed by concerned State/Union Territories. (c) & (d): The Ministry of Environment,  Forest  and  Climate  Change  (MoEF&CC) provides the financial assistance to the States/Union Territories under Centrally Sponsored Scheme  of 'Integrated  Development  of  Wildlife  Habitat',  'Project  Tiger',  and  'Project Elephant' for management of wildlife and its habitats in the country.  The activities supported under the schemes inter alia include construction/erection of physical barriers, such as solar powered  electric  fence  including  others  like  barbed  wire  fence,  bio-fencing  using  cactus boundary walls etc. to prevent the entry of wild animals into crop fields.  Besides Ministry of environment, Forest and Climate Change is also taking measures viz; 'Immuno-contraceptive measures' for controlling the population of wild animals. Under the revised guidelines of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) from Rabi 2018-19, states have been given liberty to consider providing add-on coverage for crop loss  due  to  attack  by  wild  animals  wherever  the  risk  is  perceived  to  be  substantial  and identifiable. (e): No Sir.

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