Lok Sabha Question No. 148 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-11
Subject: Co-operatives in Agriculture
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: NARANBHAI KACHHADIA, K. ASHOK KUMAR, BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 148

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 11 TH  DECEMBER, 2018

## CO-OPERATIVES  IN AGRICULTURE

148.   SHRI  NARANBHAI KACHHADIYA: SHRI K. ASHOK KUMAR: SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

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

- (a) the details of the role played by co-operatives in the agriculture sector;
- (b) whether  it  is  a  fact  that  76  per cent of rural households have been covered through a  network  of  over  8.5  lakh  cooperatives  with  a  membership of  well over 25 crore and whether it is also true that the cooperatives can help small and  marginal farmers in taking the benefits of higher minimum support price;
- (c) whether  it  is  also  true  that  the cooperative  sector  has  faced  structural challenges like    dormant    memberships,  lack  of  active  participation  of  members  in  the    management, politicalisation    of  cooperatives    and    bureaucratic    control,  if  so,  the  steps  taken  by  the Government to  ensure  the  growth  of  cooperative movement in the right path;
- (d) whether  the  Government  proposes  to    strengthen    the    role    of    cooperatives    in agricultural sector, if so, the steps taken by the Government in this regard; and
- (e) the  details  of  the  performance  of  cooperatives    in    organic    farming,    milk  production, poultry farming and fisheries, State-wise including Jharkhand?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI  PARSHOTTAM  RUPALA)

- (a): The role of cooperative sector is important in agriculture sector as it supplies agricultural credit and inputs and has the potential to deliver goods and services in vital areas where state and  private  sector  has  not  been  able  to  do  very  much.  The  village  Cooperative  Societies provides  strategic  inputs  for  the  agricultural  sector.  Cooperative  Marketing  Societies  help  the farmer to get remunerative prices, procurement of commodities as an agent of Government of India  and  Cooperative  Processing  units  help  in  value  additions  to  the  raw  products  etc. Cooperative  are  also  involved  in  programmes  like  fodder  development,  conservation  and genetic up-gradation of indigenous breeds of Livestock etc.  The cooperatives are also helping weaker sections of the societies for uplifting in their economy through diary, poultry & fisheries cooperatives .

(b): As  per statistical  data compiled and published  by National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI),    over  8  lakhs  cooperatives  with  a  membership  of  well  over  25  crores  and  having coverage in the rural areas have significantly contributed to the growth of agriculture sector in the  country.  Amongst  others,  Govt.  of  India  has  been  implementing  the  scheme  of  Minimum Support Price (MSP) also through cooperatives which help small and marginal farmers in taking the benefits of the scheme.

(c) & (d): Cooperative  sector,  like  any  other  sectors,  also  faces  structural  challenges. Central  Government,  through  Central  Sector  Scheme  on  Agricultural  Cooperation,  Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) and Price Support Scheme (PSS) has been promoting the role of cooperatives in the agriculture sector. Assistance is provided to National Cooperative Union of India  (NCUI)  and  National  Council  for  Cooperative  Training  (NCCT)  to  provide  training  to farmers who are members and employees of various types of cooperative societies.  Besides, assistance  is  provided  to  the  National  Cooperative  Development  Corporation  (NCDC)  for promoting, developing and financing post-harvest activities through cooperatives in agriculture sector.  These comprise, inter alia, marketing, storage and processing of agricultural produce besides  supply  of  agricultural  inputs.  Subsidy  to  the  tune  of  15%  to  25%  is  provided  to Cooperatives  depending  on  the  category  of  state  in  addition  to  term  loan.  Government  also provides Guarantee for procurement operations of NAFED.

(e): The  information  relating  to  performance  of  cooperatives  in  milk  production,  poultry farming and fisheries registered under the various States Cooperative Societies Act is not being maintained by this Department.

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