Lok Sabha Question No. 606 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-06-25
Subject: Shift to Low Irrigation Crops
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Meenakashi Lekhi

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.606

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  25 TH  JUNE, 2019

## SHIFT TO LOW IRRIGATION CROPS

## 606.   SHRIMATI MEENAKASHI LEKHI:

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

- (a) the details of the steps which have been taken by the Government to persuade farmers in drought affected areas to grow less water intensive crops; and
- (b) whether  any  irrigation  facilities  are  being  made  available  to  the  farmers  of  drought affected areas, if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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

- (a):              Indian  Council  for  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  has  developed  cost  effective, location specific scientific technologies for supplemental/lifesaving irrigation in dryland/rainfed situations including drought affected areas.

The  farmers  are  given  advisories  for  adoption  of  modern  agronomic  practices  like raised  bed  sowing,  alternate  furrow  irrigation,  furrow  irrigation,  sprinkler  irrigation,  drip irrigation, mulching, Direct Seeded Rice (DSR), System of Rice Intensification (SRI), laser land leveling, adoption of drought tolerant varieties, and  diversifying cropping pattern with low water requiring crops like pulses, oilseeds, maize and agro-forestry. Trainings and Field Level Demonstrations etc. are conducted to educate farmers on all these aspects.

ICAR  has  also  developed  and  demonstrated  climate  resilient  technologies  under 'National  Innovations  on  Climate  Resilient  Agriculture  (NICRA)'.  In  addition,  648  District Agricultural  Contingency  Plans  have  been  developed  for  preparedness  and  real  time implementation in the events of weather aberrations and extreme climatic events including drought.

(b): 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)  etc.  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi Sinchayee  Yojana  (PMKSY).    During  2016-17,  ninety-nine(99)  Major/Medium  irrigation projects under PMKSY-AIBP having ultimate irrigation potential of 76.03 lakh ha have been prioritized in consultation with States, for completion in phases upto December, 2019 along with  their  Command  Area  Development  &  Water  Management  (CADWM)  works.  Out  of these  projects,  59  projects  are  benefitting/partially  benefitting  the  drought  prone  areas. Ultimate potential of these projects is 47.03 lakh ha out of which 25.56 lakh ha was created upto 2015-16 and further a potential of 3.12 lakh ha and 6.18 lakh ha was created during 2016-17 and 2017-18 respectively through these 59 projects.

Besides, Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers Welfare is implementing Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) component of PMKSY which focuses on enhancing water use efficiency at farm level through Micro Irrigation technologies viz. Drip and Sprinkler Irrigation. An area of 36.20 lakh ha has been covered under Micro Irrigation in the country from 2015-16 to 2018-19.

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