Lok Sabha Question No. 3717 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-17
Subject: Arable Land
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Khagen Murmu

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.3717

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 17 TH  MARCH, 2020

## ARABLE LAND

3717. SHRI KHAGEN MURMU:

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

(a) whether in view of giving momentum to agriculture field the Government proposes to increase the existing arable land for the farmers of the country;

(b) if so, the details of the area likely to be increased and the manner in which it will increase the existing arable land of the farmers in the country;

(c) if so, the area proposed in this regard and the extent to which it is likely to benefit the farmers of the country; and

- (d) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) to (d): As  per  the  Seventh  Schedule  of  Constitution  of  India,  land  comes  under  the purview of State Governments and, therefore, it is for them to take suitable steps to increase the arable land for the farmers. However, Government of India supplements the efforts of States, through appropriate policy measures and budgetary support.

Department of Land Resources has sanctioned 8214 watershed development projects in 28 States (except  Goa) [during  the period  2009-10  to  2014-15]  (now  27  States  and  2  Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh) covering an area of about 39.07 million hectare under  Integrated Watershed  Management  Programme  (IWMP)  principally  for  development  of rainfed portions of net cultivated area and culturable wastelands. The IWMP was amalgamated in 2015-16 as the Watershed Development Component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana  (WDC-PMKSY).  Government  has  not  sanctioned  any  new  watershed  projects  under WDC-PMKSY since 2015-16 and the focus is now on the completion of ongoing projects.

Government  of  India  is  implementing  National  Mission  for  Sustainable  Agriculture (NMSA) with a view to prevent soil erosion, land degradation and also to maintain balance in various types of land uses across the country. Under this mission, all types of land including wasteland/barren  land  are  developed  with  suitable  need  based  soil  and  water  conservation measures and parts of such degraded lands developed are put to agricultural practices.

In order to check decline in the arable area in the country, under the National Policy for Farmers - 2007 (NPF-2007), State Governments have been advised to earmark lands with low agricultural  development  activities,  including  industrial  and  construction  activities.  National Rehabilitation and Resettlement Policy - 2007 (NRRP-2007) has also recommended that as far as  possible,  projects  may  be  set  up  on  waste  land,  degraded  land  or  un-irrigated  land  and acquisition of irrigated, multi-cropped agricultural land for non-agricultural uses may be kept to

Apart  from  this,  In  order  to  reclaim  and  develop  barren  lands,  ICAR  through Indian engineering  measures  to  check  soil  erosion  due  to  run-off  of  rain  water.  Central  Arid  Zone Research Institute, Jodhpur has developed sand dune stabilization and shelter belt technology to check wind erosion. The Council through Central Soil Salinity Research Institute, Karnal and All  India  Coordinated  Research  Project  (AICRP)  on  Salt  Affected  Soils  has  developed reclamation technology, sub-surface drainage, bio-drainage, agroforestry interventions and salt tolerant crop varieties to improve the productivity of saline, sodic and waterlogged soils in the country.  The  ICAR  also  imparts  training,  organises  Front  Line  Demonstrations  (FLDs)  etc.  to educate farmers on all these aspects.

biological  potential  such  as  uncultivable  land,  land  affected  by  salinity,  acidity,  etc.,  for  nonthe minimum and avoided, to the extent possible. Institute  of Soil and Water Conservation  (IISWC) has developed several location specific bio-

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