Lok Sabha Question No. 1401 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-02-11
Subject: Special Focus on Rural Development
Ministry: RURAL DEVELOPMENT
Asked by: Ranjanben Dhananjay Bhatt

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1401

TO BE ANSWERED ON 11.02.2020

## SPECIAL FOCUS ON RURAL DEVELOPMENT

## 1401.   SHRIMATI RANJANBEN DHANANJAY BHATT:

Will the Minister of RURAL DEVELOPMENT be pleased to state:

- (a) whether the Government proposes to give focused attention/pay special attention in the rural development to solve the problem of the farmers;
- (b) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor; and
- (c) the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER MINISTER OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) to (c): The Government has taken a number of initiatives for development of rural areas including  addressing  the  problem  of  farmers.  For  development  of  rural  areas  through employment generation, strengthening of livelihood opportunities, promoting selfemployment, skilling of rural youths, provision of social assistance, infrastructure development etc., the Ministry of Rural Development, inter alia, is implementing Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS), Deendayal Antyodaya  Yojana  -  National  Rural  Livelihoods  Mission  (DAY-NRLM),  Deen  Dayal Upadhyay  -  Gramin  Kaushalya  Yojana  (DDU-GKY),    Pradhan  Mantri  Awaas  Yojana  Gramin  (PMAY-G),  Pradhan  Mantri  Gram  Sadak  Yojana  (PMGSY),  Shyama  Prasad Mukherjee National RuRBAN Mission and National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP).

The Ministry of Rural Development is also facilitating linkages between Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) and the agriculture sector to help the  farmers promote their agricultural activities. MGNREGS emphasises that at least 60% of works  at  district  level  in  terms  of  cost  shall  be  for  creation  of  productive  assets directly  linked  to  Agriculture  and  Allied  Activities  which  include  works  related  to  water security like construction of farm ponds, wells, earthen check dam, field channels and other water harvesting structures. There are 261 works which are permissible under MGNREGS, of which 164 works relate to agriculture and allied activities.

The  Government  has  also  taken  steps  towards  strengthening  farm  livelihoods  of  women farmers  and  launched  Mahila  Kisan  Sashaktikaran  Pariyojana  (MKSP)  in  2011,  a  sub component of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAYNRLM). The main focus of this porgramme is to capacitate the women farmers to adopt / improve  multiple  livelihoods  for  income  enhancement.  Focused  area  of  farm  livelihood intervention  in  DAY-NRLM  as  well  as  MKSP  is  promotion  of  agro-ecological  practices, Non Timber Forest Produce, promotion of organic cluster and marketing of farm produces through value chain intervention.

In order to address concerns of land degradation and wastelands and enhance productivity in rainfed  areas,  the  Department  of  Land  Resources,  Ministry  of  Rural  Development  is implementing area development programme  on watershed basis namely Watershed Development Component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY).The activities  undertaken  through  the  watershed  development  projects  inter  alia,  include  ridge area treatment, drainage line treatment, soil and moister conservation, rain water harvesting, nursery  raising,  afforestation,  horticulture,  pasture  development,  livelihoods  for  assetless persons etc.

For  the  benefit  of  farmers,  the  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Farmers  Welfare  has  also launched various interventions and schemes to increase production, generate remunerative returns  and  provide  income  support.  The  Pradhan  Mantri  Kisan  Samman  Nidhi  (PMKISAN) was launched with a view to provide income support to farmers, Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY) for providing old age pension, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) to provide better insurance coverage  to crops for  risk  mitigation, Paramparagat  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (PKVY)  for  promoting  organic  farming,  Pradhan Mantri Annadata  Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) to ensure remunerative prices to the farmers etc.

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