Lok Sabha Question No. 80 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-12-11
Subject: Income of Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: RATTAN LAL KATARIA

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 80

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 11 TH  DECEMBER, 2018

## INCOME OF FARMERS

80. SHRI RATTAN LAL KATARIA:

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

- (a) the details of the rise in income of the farmers in the country during each of the years from 2014 to March 2018, State-wise;
- (b) whether  the  Government  has  expounded  a  4-point  agenda/solution  to  double  the income of the farmers by 2022 and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether the Government has taken various steps to create infrastructure for storage of procured crops and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Farmers  Welfare  is  coordinating  with  other Ministries to develop industrial townships around the villages so that farmers and their kins may be  able  to  get  alternative  jobs  and  market  for  their  produces  profitably  and  if  so,  the  details thereof; and
- (e) the  details  of  policies  formulated/  implemented  by  the  Government  to  extend  the benefits  to  poor  farmers  and  promote  mix  cropping  practices  amongst  them  along  with  the outcome thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंालय म राय मंी (SHRI GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a):      As  per  the  'Situation  Assessment  Survey  of  Agricultural  Households'  conducted  by National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) in 2013, the average monthly income per agricultural household from all sources is estimated to be Rs. 6,426. NSSO has not conducted any such survey since 2013 and as such the comparable estimates for rise in income of farmers during 2014 to 2018 are not available.
- (b): Yes, Madam. Government has been focusing on four major aspects to achieve the goal of doubling farmers' income by 2022. These include: reducing input costs; ensuring fair price for the produce; reducing wastage; and creating alternate sources of income. An Inter-Ministerial Committee has also been constituted to examine issues relating to doubling of farmers' income and recommend a strategy to achieve the same by the year 2022.

(c): Yes, Madam. Government is implementing various schemes/ programmes to strengthen storage infrastructure for procured crops. Agricultural Marketing Infrastructure (AMI) Scheme is being implemented as a sub scheme of Integrated Scheme of Agricultural Marketing (ISAM) by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers' Welfare to improve/create scientific storage capacity for storing farm produce, processed farm produce and to reduce post harvest storage losses.

Moreover,  sufficient  capacity  for  storage  of  central  foodgrains  is  available  with  Food Corporation  of  India  (FCI),  Central  Warehousing  Corporation  (CWC)  and  State  Agencies.  In order  to  augment  capacities  in  specific  areas  and  to  modernize  the  storage  facilities  in  the country, Government is implementing Private Entrepreneurs Guarantee (PEG) Scheme; Central Sector  Scheme  for  Construction  of  Godowns  in  North  Eastern  States  along  with  Himachal Pradesh, Jharkhand and Kerala; and Action Plan for Construction of Steel Silos.

(d): The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is working in close coordination with other Ministries/Departments to promote non-farm employment opportunities for the farmers. In particular, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana is being implemented by the Ministry of Food  Processing  Industries  for  creation  of  infrastructure  for  agro  processing  clusters.  These clusters  would add value to the  horticultural/  agricultural  produce  and  reduce  wastage  of the surplus  produce  and  thereby  resulting  in  increase  in  income  of  farmers  and  creation  of employment opportunities at the local level.

(e): The  major  schemes  for  assisting  the  farmers,  including  poor  farmers  for  promoting mixed  cropping  and  improving  farm  profitability  are:  Crop  Diversification  Programme  under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY); Rainfed Area Development under National Mission for Sustainable  Agriculture;  National  Mission  on  Oilseeds  and  Oil  Palm  (NMOOP);  and  SubMission on Agro-Forestry. Government has also set up more than 700 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs)  and  676  Agricultural  Technology  Management  Agencies  (ATMAs)  at  district  level  for dissemination of technologies among farm community.

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