Lok Sabha Question No. 30 (STARRED), answered on 2019-11-19
Subject: Upgradation and Modernization of Agriculture
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: K. Muraleedharan

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

## LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 30

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE   19 TH  NOVEMBER, 2019

## UPGRADATION AND MODERNIZATION OF AGRICULTURE

- *30.   SHRI K. MURALEEDHARAN:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  has  formulated  a  pilot  project/plan  or  scheme  for  the upgradation  and  modernization  of  agriculture,  especially  in  the  States  where  soil  quality and water tables are deteriorating and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Ministry is considering the initiation of a strict plan to check the sale of adulterated and fake fertilizers, pesticides, insecticides, etc. to prevent further damage to soil, water, environment and save farmers from financial loss and if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the measures being taken by the Ministry to tackle straw burning issues and provide cheap equipment for the management of leftover straw?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी

(SHRI NARENDRA  SINGH TOMAR)

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

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (c)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO.  30  DUE FOR REPLY ON 19 TH  NOVEMBER, 2019.

(a): Agriculture is a State subject. Government of India supports and facilitates the State Governments  through  several  Central  Sector  and  Centrally  Sponsored  Schemes  to promote agriculture in the country.   Indian agriculture has benefitted immensely from the various  major  modern  technology  interventions.  Development  of  Kisan  Suvidha  mobile application  to  facilitate  dissemination  of  information  to  farmers  on  the  critical  parameters viz., Weather; Market Prices, Plant Protection. Development of mKishan Portal (www.mkisan.gov.in) for sending advisories on various crop related matter to the registered farmers  through  SMSs.  Launching  of  e-National  Agriculture  Market  initiative  to  provide farmers  an  electronic  online  trading  platform  Implementation  of  Per  Drop  More  Crop component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana which mainly focuses on water use efficiently  at  farm  level  through  precision/micro  irrigation  technologies  viz.,  Drip  and Sprinkler  irrigation.  Use  of  space  technology  for  various  programmes/areas  such  as Forecasting Agricultural Output using Space, Agro-meteorology and Land-based Observations  project.  All  schemes  of  the  Department  of  Agriculture,  Cooperation  and Farmers' Welfare (DAC&FW) are implemented across the country to improve production and productivity in the various agro-climatic zones including the States where soil quality and water tables are deteriorating.  Schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sichai Yojana (PMSKY),  National  Project  on  Management  of  Soil  Health  and  Fertility  -  Soil  Health Management  &  Soil  Health  Card,  Reclamation  of  Problem  Soils  (a  sub-scheme  under RKVY-RAFTAAR)  are  specially  operated  to  tackle  deteriorating  soil  quality  and  water tables.

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(b): The Government of India has already declared fertilizers as an essential commodity under the Essential  Commodities Act,  1955 and has promulgated the Fertilizer  (Control) Order,  1985  (FCO)  to  regulate  the  trade,  price,  quality  and  distribution  of  fertilizers. Specifications of fertilizers are prescribed in the order.  Clause 19 of FCO strictly prohibits the sale of fertilizer which is not of prescribed standards.

State  Governments  are  empowered  under  the  Fertilizer  (Control)  Order/Essential Commodities Act, 1955 to take appropriate administrative and legal action against those dealers / manufacturers / importers who do not comply with the provisions prescribed in the Order.  The essential commodities Act prescribes a maximum punishment of seven years for  violation  of  the  provisions  of  FCO.    There  are  82  fertilizer  testing  laboratories  in  the country.  Samples of fertilizers are drawn periodically by the fertilizer inspectors of the State Governments  from  retailers/wholesalers  and  manufacturing  units,  etc.  for  testing  in  the notified laboratories to check their quality in respect of the quality parameters prescribed in the Fertilizer (Control) Order, 1985.

Pesticides  are  substances  or  preparations  intended  for  purposes  of  preventing, destroying,  repelling  or  mitigating  any  insects,  rodents,  fungi,  weeds  and  other  forms  of plant or animal life not useful to human beings. Pesticides are inherently toxic in nature. However, they do not pose any adverse effect, if used as per label claims approved by the Registration  Committee  constituted  under  Section 5 of the Insecticides Act, 1968. Pesticides are registered for use in the country by the Registration Committee only after satisfaction about their efficacy and safety to human health, animal and environment.

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As  per  the  Insecticide  Act,  1968,  the  monitoring  of  pesticide  quality  is  a  shared responsibility between Central and State Governments. The Central and State Government have  notified  192  and  10905  Insecticide  Inspectors  respectively  to  check  the  quality  of pesticides.  Insecticide  samples  are  drawn  on  regular  basis  and  analyzed  in  69  State Pesticide Testing laboratories and two Regional Pesticide Testing Laboratories. Action is initiated against those samples which are found misbranded.

During  the  last  3  years,  2467  prosecutions  have  been  launched  throughout  India against firms which were found to be involved in selling and manufacturing of sub-standard pesticides and illegal import of pesticides.

(c):     To address air pollution and to subsidize machinery required for in-situ management of crop residue, a new Central Sector Scheme on 'Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization for In-Situ Management of Crop Residue in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi' for the period from 2018-19 to 2019-20 has been launched with a total outgo of Central funds of Rs. 1151.80 crores.

Under the scheme, financial assistance @ 80% of the project cost is provided to the Co-operative Societies of farmers, FPOs, Self-Help Groups, registered Farmers Societies / farmers  groups,  Private  Entrepreneurs,  Group  of  women  farmers  or  self-help  groups  for establishment  of  farm  machinery  banks  or  custom  hiring  centres  of  in-situ  crop  residue management machinery. Financial assistance @ 50% of the cost of machinery/equipment is also provided to individual farmers for purchase of machinery/equipment for crop residue management.

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