Lok Sabha Question No. 1474 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-02-12
Subject: Effect of Drought on Production of Pulses
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: ASADUDDIN OWAISI

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1474

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 12 TH   FEBRUARY, 2019

## EFFECT OF DROUGHT ON PRODUCTION OF PULSES

## 1474.   SHRI ASADUDDIN OWAISI:

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

- (a) whether  the  country  faced  crisis  due  to  consecutive  drought  years  that  led  to    low production  of  pulses  in  2014-15 and 2015-16;
- (b) if  so,  whether  production  and procurement  of  pulses  have  increased sharply during 2016-19;
- (c) whether  the  Union  Government has offered a discount to the States for its scheme with subsidy of Rs. 15/- per kg;
- (d) if  so,  whether  this  Ministry  has called  a  meeting  of  the  State's representatives in this regard; and
- (e) if so, the outcome of the meeting and the decision arrived at for dispatch of pulses to the States?

## 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) & (b): Yes  Madam,  on  account  of  deficit  rainfall  during  monsoon  season,  unseasonal rains / hailstorms and adverse temperature conditions etc., production of pulses during 2014-15 and  2015-16  declined  to  17.15  million  tonnes  and  16.32  million  tonnes,  respectively  as compared to the previous record production of 19.26 million tonnes in 2013-14. However, due to normal monsoon in 2016 and near normal monsoon in 2017 along with various measures taken by  the  Government,  production  of  pulses  increased  to  23.13  million  tonnes  during  2016-17 which further increased to 25.23 million tonnes during 2017-18 (as per 4 th Advance Estimates). Accordingly, procurement of pulses has also increased sharply during 2016-17 to 2018-19 (upto 02.02.2019).

The first comprehensive assessment of production of major food crops including pulses in the country for whole agriculture year including rabi crops is available with Second Advance Estimates normally released around mid-February. However, as per 1 st Advance Estimates, the production of pulses in the country during Kharif season of 2018-19 is estimated at 9.22 million tonnes.

(c) to  (e):          Yes  Madam,  the  Union  Government has offered a discount to the States for its scheme with subsidy of Rs.15/- per kg.

Video conference with States/UTs was organized on 5 th September, 2018 on 'Scheme of Disposal of Pulses with Central Subsidy of Rs.15 per kg. to States / UTs for utilization under various  Welfare  Schemes'.  The  deliberations  focused  on  the  modalities  of  the  scheme  for expeditious disposal of stock based on assessed requirement of States / UTs.

Since  the  operation  of  the  scheme,  3,69,403  metric  tonnes  of  pulses  is  issued  to States/UTs (as on January, 2019) at discounted rate for utilizing the stock under various welfare schemes.

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