Lok Sabha Question No. 532 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-25
Subject: Promotion of Agriculture
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Bheemrao Baswanthrao Patil

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 532

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 25 TH   JUNE, 2019

## PROMOTION OF AGRICULTURE

## 532.     SHRI B.B. PATIL:

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

- (a) whether the Government has taken any  step  to  promote  agriculture  in  the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  given  training  to  farmers  on  scientific  methods  of agriculture and  if  so,  the  details  thereof; and
- (d) whether  the  farmers  were  given information about such training and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER  OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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

- (a) & (b): Agriculture being a State subject, the State Governments undertakes development of  perspective  plans and ensure effective implementation of the programmes/ schemes. Also, Government  of  India  supplements  the  efforts  of  the  State  Governments  through  various Schemes/  Programmes.  The  Government  has  been  reorienting  the  agriculture  sector  by focusing on an income-centric approach as against the earlier production centric policy.  This focuses on achieving high productivity, reduced cost of cultivation and remunerative price on the produce,  with  a  view  to  earning  higher  profits  for  the  farmers.  A  list  of  various  interventions taken by the Government is annexed.
- (c) & (d): A  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  on  'Support  to  State  Extension  Programs  for Extension Reforms' popularly known as Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA) Scheme  is  under  implementation  since  2005.  It  is  being  implemented  in  684  districts  of  29 states & 3 UTs of the country. The scheme promotes decentralized farmer-friendly system in the country  with  an  objective  to  support  State  Government's  efforts  to  revitalize  the  extension system and making available the latest agricultural technologies and good agricultural practices in  different  thematic  areas  of  agriculture  and  allied  areas  to  farmers.  The  extension  activities under ATMA  include Farmers Training. Demonstrations, Exposure Visits, Kisan Mela, Mobilization  of  Farmers  Groups  and  organizing  Farm  Schools  etc.  During  the  year  2018-19, 18,59,231 farmers have been given training under the scheme.

After the Gazette Notification issued by Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship in July 2015, the DAC & FW has been operationalising skill training courses for  rural  youth  and  farmers  as  per  the  approved  108  Qualification  Packs  developed  by Agriculture  Skill  Council  of  India,  through  the  National  Training  Institutes,  State  Agriculture Management  and  Extension  Training  Institutes,  Krishi  Vigyan  Kendras  of  ICAR  and  State Agricultural  Universities.  During  the  year  2018-19,  796  skill  training  courses  were  conducted with 15,918 participants.

## Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 532 due for 25.06.2019 Statement in respect  of Part (a) & (b) of the Question  regarding 'Promotion of Agriculture'

The strategy of the Government is to focus on farmers' welfare by  making farming viable. Most  of  the  schemes  of  Department  of  Agriculture,  Cooperation  and  Farmers  Welfare  focus  on directly benefitting farmers through various interventions and schemes such as:-

- (i)       Encouraging  contract  farming  through  the  State  Governments  by  promulgating  of  Model Contract Farming Act.
- (ii) Up-gradation of Gramin Haats to work as centers of aggregation and for direct purchase of agricultural commodities from the farmers.
- (iii) Launch of e-NAM initiative to provide farmers an electronic online trading platform.
- (iv)      Implementation of flagship scheme of distribution of Soil Health Cards to farmers so that the use of fertilizers can be optimized.
- (v) 'Per drop more crop' initiative under which drip/sprinkler irrigation is  being encouraged for optimal utilization of water.
- (vi) 'Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)' under which organic farming is being promoted.
- (vii)     With a view to provide better insurance coverage to crops for risk mitigation, Government has launched a crop insurance scheme namely Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) from Kharif 2016 season. This scheme provides insurance cover for all stages of the crop cycle including post-harvest risks in specified instances.
- (viii)    Under 'Har Medh Par Ped', agro forestry is being promoted.  With the amendment of Indian Forest  Act,  1927,  Bamboo  has  been  removed  from  the  definition  of  trees.  A  restructured National Bamboo Mission has been launched in the year 2018 to promote bamboo plantation on  non  forest  government  as  well  as  private  land  with  emphasis  on  value  addition  and product development.
- (ix) 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.
- (x) 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)'.  The Scheme  is  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.
- (xi) 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 of honey and other products as an additional source of income of farmers.
- (xii) The  Government  provides  total  interest  subvention  up  to  5%  (inclusive  of  3%  prompt repayment incentive) on short-term crop loans up to Rs. 3.00 lakh. Thus, loan is available to farmers at a reduced rate of 4% per annum on prompt repayment.
- (xiii) 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.
- (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) With a view to provide income support to all farmers 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,  subject  to  certain exclusions relating to higher income groups.  About 14.5 crore farmers are expected to be covered under the Scheme.

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