Lok Sabha Question No. 1673 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-02
Subject: Policy for Small Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Pankaj Chowdhary

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

## LOK  SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1673

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 2 ND   JULY, 2019

## POLICY FOR  SMALL FARMERS

1673.    SHRI  PANKAJ CHAUDHARY:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  is preparing any policy to fulfil the needs of the small farmers;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) whether  the  Government  is  likely  to    make  arrangements    for  quality    seeds,  better facility of irrigation and platform to sell  the  produce  of  the  farmers  at remunerative prices in time so as to increase their income?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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

(a) & (b): Government  is  already  implementing  various  missions  and  schemes  aimed  at improvement in agriculture productivity as well as to fulfil the needs of the farmers. Recently, the Government started the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme, effective from 1.12.2018, to provide income support to all Small and Marginal landholder farmer families across  the  country,  subject  to  certain  exclusions,  to  enable  them  to  take  care  of  expenses related  to  agriculture  and  allied  activities  as  well  as  domestic  needs.  The  Scheme  provide  a payment of  Rs.6000/-  per  year,  in  three  4-monthly  installments  of  Rs.2000/-,  to  the  farmers' families  with  cultivable  land  holding  upto  2  hectare,  subject  to  certain  exclusions  relating  to higher income groups. The ambit of the Scheme has now been expanded to cover all farmers in the country irrespective of the size of their land holdings, subject to all other exclusions.

Further,  the  Government  has  recently  approved  a  pension  scheme  for  all  Small  and Marginal  Farmers  (SMF)  in  the  country,  subject  to  certain  exclusion  clauses,  with  a  view  to provide them social security net 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  scheme  provides for payment    of  a  minimum  fixed  pension  of  Rs.3,000/-  per  month  to  the  eligible  farmers  on attaining the age of 60 years. It is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme, with entry age of 18 to 40 years. The beneficiary can opt to become member of the Scheme by subscribing to a Pension Fund, managed by the Life Insurance Corporation (LIC).  The beneficiary is required to  contribute  Rs  100/  -  per  month  in  the  pension  fund  at  median  entry  age  of  29  years,  with matching contribution of Rs.100 by the Central Government.

Contd..2/-

(c):              The  Government  supplements  the efforts  of the  State  Governments  by  coordinating seed requirement and availability through the mechanism of Zonal Seeds Review Meetings prior to  each  sowing  season  and  developing  Seed  Rolling  Plan  of  the  State  Governments.  The Government  already  provides  financial  assistance  for  production  and  distribution  of  High Yielding  Varieties  (HYVs)  seeds  to  the  States  and  implementing  agencies  through  various ongoing crop development programmes / schemes viz. National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Bringing  Green  Revolution  in  Eastern  India  (BGREI),  Rashtriya  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (RKVY), Sub-Mission on Seeds and Planting Materials (SMSP) under National Mission on Agricultural Extension & Technology (NMAET), etc. which help in enhancing productivity of various crops and also improving profitability of Agriculture sector in the country.

For  irrigation,  various  Water  Resources  Projects  are  planned,  funded,  executed  and maintained by the State Governments themselves as per their own resources and priority. In order  to  supplement  their  efforts,  the  Ministry  of  Jal  Shakti  provides  technical  and  financial assistance    to  State  Governments  to  encourage  sustainable  development  and  efficient management  of  water  resources  through  various  schemes  and  programmes,  such  as, Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme (AIBP), the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY). Besides, the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare implements 'Per  Drop  More  Crop  (PDMC)'  component of the PMKSY  which focuses on  enhancing water use  efficiency  at  farm  level  through  Micro  Irrigation  technologies  viz.  Drip  and  Sprinkler Irrigation.

The  Government  has  implemented  the  price  policy  to  ensure  remunerative  prices  to farmers by offering to procure their produce at Minimum Support Price (MSP) through the Price Support Scheme (PPS) and ensure MSP through Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS). Procurement  of  pulses  and  oilseeds  has  been  stepped  up  in  recent  years  to  assure remunerative prices to farmers. Government  has  also  taken  several steps to provide remunerative prices to farmers for their produce which include undertaking procurement through designated procurement  agencies, implementing e-National Agriculture Market (e-NAM), enacting  the  Model  Agricultural  Procuce  and  Livestock  Marketing  (Promotion  &  Facilitation) Act,2017 and promoting Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs).

********