Lok Sabha Question No. 398 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-09-15
Subject: Locust Attacks
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Harish Dwivedi, DNV Senthilkumar. S., A.K.P. Chinraj, Deepak Baij, Jagdambika Pal, Su Thirunavukkarasar, Supriya Sadanand Sule, Manickam Tagore B, Sudheer Gupta, Subhash Ramrao Bhamre, Bidyut Baran Mahato, Shrirang Appa Barne, S. Jagathrakshakan, Kuldeep Rai Sharma, Amol Ramsing Kolhe, Sanjay Sadashivrao Mandlik, Hanuman Beniwal, Mala Roy

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.398

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 15 TH  SEPTEMBER, 2020

## LOCUST ATTACKS

## 398.   SHRI HARISH DWIVEDI:

DR. DNV SENTHILKUMAR S.:

SHRI SHRIRANG APPA BARNE:

SHRI HANUMAN BENIWAL:

SHRI THIRUNAVUKKARASAR SU:

SHRIMATI SUPRIYA SULE:

SHRI DEEPAK BAIJ:

SHRI SANJAY SADASHIVRAO MANDLIK:

SHRIMATI MALA ROY:

SHRI MANICKAM TAGORE B.:

SHRI A.K.P. CHINRAJ:

SHRI S. JAGATHRAKSHAKAN:

SHRI SUDHEER GUPTA:

SHRI KULDEEP RAI SHARMA:

SHRI JAGDAMBIKA PAL:

DR. AMOL RAMSING KOLHE:

SHRI BIDYUT BARAN MAHATO:

DR. SUBHASH RAMRAO BHAMRE:

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

- (a) whether there are widespread locust attacks in different parts of the country causing widespread crop losses to farmers and if so, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard;
- (b) whether the Government has assessed the damage caused by locust to farmers who are already facing lot of problem due to COVID-19 pandemic especially the total hectares of crops damaged and if so, the details thereof, crop and State-wise;
- (c) whether any talks have been held with neighbouring countries from where the locusts have originated, if so, the details thereof and its outcome;
- (d) whether the Government is planning to give any compensation or relief for farmers who have been affected by locust attacks and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether  farmers  in  locust  affected  areas  in  the  country  have  been  educated  or trained about the locusts attacks, if so, the details thereof; and

(f) the  other  preventive  measures/action  plan  taken  by  the  Government  to  stop recurrence of the situation or effectively control the future attacks of the locust in the coming months?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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

(a) & (b): During 2020-21, the locust incursions were reported in 10 States of Rajasthan,  Madhya  Pradesh,  Punjab,  Gujarat,  Uttar  Pradesh,  Maharashtra,  Chhattisgarh, Bihar,  Haryana  and  Uttarakhand,  where  operations  were  undertaken  in  coordination  with State Governments for locust control.

State Governments of Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Punjab and Bihar have reported no crop losses  in  their  States.    However,  Government  of  Rajasthan  has  reported  crop  damage of 33%  and  more  due  to  locust  attack  in  2234.92  hectare  area  in  Bikaner,  140  hectare  in Hanumangarh  and  1027  hectare  area  in  Sri  Ganganagar.  Government  of  Haryana  has reported  below  33%  crop  loss  in  approx.  6166  hectare  area,  Government  of  Madhya Pradesh has reported 10 percent loss in soybean crop in 4400 ha in Damoh district. State Government of  Maharashtra  has  reported  below  33%  crop  loss  in  805.8  hectare  area  in Nagpur, Bhandara, Gondiya and Amravati districts. State Government of Uttarakhand has reported a loss of 2 hectare (5% loss) in Pithoragarh district. State Government of Rajasthan has further issued instructions for conducting survey to estimate crop losses. Uttar Pradesh government also issued orders to field units for submitting the status of crop losses.

(c): A  High Level virtual meeting on Desert Locust in South-West Asian countries was held on 11 March 2020, with representatives of four member countries (Afghanistan, India, Iran  and  Pakistan)  and  the  Plant  Protection  Division  of  FAO,  Rome  participated  in  the meeting. Subsequently, 24 virtual meetings of technical officers of member countries have been held so far via skype for sharing of strategic information on actual status, movement and control of locust in member countries.

Further,  feedback  from  Kenya  and  Ethiopia  about  Locust  status  in  their  respective countries has been received through Ministry of External Affairs in May and June. On the basis of these feedbacks, strategies were chalked out for locust preparedness and control.

(d) Pest attack is notified as a natural disaster by the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India and States can undertake relief operations under State Disaster Response Fund as per established procedure and the norms for assistance.

Till  now  no  State  Government  has  reported  distribution  of  relief  to  the  farmers affected by locust attack.

Crop losses of farmers due to Locust attacks are also covered under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). The yield losses are assessed through Crop Cutting Experiments and compensation are given to insured farmers as per the provisions of the scheme.

(e): Yes, training programmes and mock drill operations were conducted by Locust Circle Offices for the State Extension Officers and farmers of Rajasthan and Gujarat. In addition, Central  Integrated Pest  Management Centres also conducted awareness programmes for State Extension Officers in the States of Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Chhattisgarh.

(f): Capabilities of Locust Circle Offices were strengthened through the following-

-  To strengthen  locust control  capabilities,  additional  60  equipments  were  procured  and presently  104  control  teams  with  spray  equipment  mounted  vehicles  were  utilized  for ground control.
-  55 vehicles were procured to strengthen ground control potential.
-  More  than 200 Central Government  personnel  were  deployed  in locust control operations.
-  Drones were used for locust control for the first time in the world after finalizing protocols and one Bell 206-B3 helicopter was also used for locust control by aerial spraying.
-  The Indian Air Force, Mi17 helicopter with customized aerial spray equipment was used for aerial spray.
-  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  has  included  admissibility  of  hiring  of  vehicles,  tractors  with spray  equipments  for  spraying  of  plant  protection  chemicals  for  pest  control;  hiring  of water tankers; and purchase of plant protection chemicals for locust control under new norms of assistance under State Disaster Response Fund (SDRF) and National Disaster Response  Fund  (NDRF).  This  has  also  facilitated  the  State  in  their  locust  control operations.
-  Under Sub-mission on Agriculture Mechanization assistance of Rs. 2.86 crores for 800 tractors mounted spray equipments was sanctioned to Rajasthan.  Under RKVY sanction of Rs. 14 crores for hiring of vehicles, tractors and for purchase of pesticides has also been issued.
-  Gujarat States  has  been  sanctioned Rs. 1.80 crores under  RKVY  for  capacity enhancement for locust control.
-  Under  Sub-mission  on  Agriculture  Mechanization  assistance  of  2.20  crore  has  been sanctioned for purchase of tractors and spray equipments for Uttar Pradesh.

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