Lok Sabha Question No. 1980 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2020-03-03
Subject: Protest of Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Srinivas Kesineni

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

## LOK  SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1980

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 3 RD  MARCH, 2020

## PROTEST OF FARMERS

1980.  SHRI KESINENI SRINIVAS:

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

- (a) whether  the  Ministry  has  taken  cognizance  of  the  protests  done  by  farmers  for  the construction of the State capital in Andhra Pradesh;
- (b) whether  the  Ministry  has  taken  note  of  the  brutal  treatment  of  women  farmers  by  the Andhra Pradesh police;
- (c) whether the Ministry has taken note of the demands of the farmers and if so, the details thereof; and
- (d) whether the Ministry has any plan to aid the farmers?

## ANSWER

MINISTER  OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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

- (a) to (c): Agriculture being a State subject, the State Governments undertake development of perspective plans and ensures effective implementation of the programmes/ schemes. The subject relating to Land and its management falls within the jurisdiction of States as per Entry 18 of  List  II  (State  List)  of  the  Seventh  Schedule  to  the  Constitution.  The  role  of  the  Central Government in the field of land reforms is only of an advisory nature. Further, Law and Order, 'Police' and 'Public Order' are State subjects under the Seventh Schedule to the Constitution of India and therefore, it is the primary duty of the State Governments to prevent, detect, register and investigate crime and prosecute the criminals.
- (d): The  Government  of  India  supplements  the  efforts  of  the  State  Governments  through various schemes/ programmes. The various schemes/ programmes of the Government of India are meant for the welfare of farmers by increasing production, remunerative returns and income support to farmers. A list of various initiatives taken by the Government are at Annexure. All these steps of the Government of India are for the welfare of the farmers of the country.

## List of various interventions and schemes launched for the benefit of farmers.

- (i) With a view to provide income support to all farmers' families across the country, to enable them to take care  of  expenses related  to  agriculture  and  allied  activities  as well  as  domestic  needs,  the  Central  Government  started  a  new  Central  Sector Scheme, namely, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN). The scheme aims to provide a payment of Rs. 6000/- per year, in three 4-monthly installments of Rs.  2000/-  to  the  farmers  families,  subject  to  certain  exclusions  relating  to  higher income groups.
- (ii) Further  with  a  view  to  provide  social  security  net  for  Small  and  Marginal  Farmers (SMF) as they have minimal or no savings to provide for old age and to support them in  the  event  of  consequent  loss  of  livelihood,  the  Government  has  decided  to implement  another  new  Central  Sector  Scheme  i.e.  Pradhan  Mantri  Kisan  MaanDhan Yojana (PM-KMY) for  providing old age pension to these farmers. Under this Scheme, a minimum fixed pension of Rs. 3000/- will be provided to the eligible small and marginal farmers, subject to certain exclusion clauses, on attaining the age of 60 years.
- (iii) With a view to provide better insurance coverage to crops for risk mitigation, a crop insurance scheme namely Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was launched  from  Kharif  2016  season.  This  scheme  provides  insurance  cover  for  all stages of the crop cycle including post-harvest risks in specified instances, with low premium contribution by farmers.
- (iv) Giving  a  major  boost  for  the  farmer's  income,  the  Government  has  approved  the increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSPs) for all Kharif & Rabi crops for 2018-19 season at a level of at least 150 percent of the cost of production.
- (v) Implementation of flagship scheme of distribution of Soil Health Cards to farmers so that the use of fertilizers can be rationalized.
- (vi) 'Per drop more crop' initiative under which drip/sprinkler irrigation is being encouraged  for  optimal  utilization  of  water,  reducing  cost  of  inputs  and  increasing productivity.
- (vii) 'Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)' for promoting organic farming.
- (viii) Launch  of  e-NAM  initiative to provide farmers an electronic transparent  and competitive online trading platform.
- (ix) Under 'Har Medh  Par Ped', agro forestry is being promoted for additional income.  With the amendment of Indian Forest Act, 1927, Bamboo has been removed from  the  definition  of  trees.  A  restructured  National  Bamboo  Mission  has  been launched in the year 2018 to promote bamboo plantation on non forest government as  well  as  private  land  and  emphasis  on  value  addition,  product  development  and markets.
- (x) Giving  a  major  boost  to  the  pro-farmer  initiatives,  the  Government  has  approved  a new  Umbrella  Scheme  'Pradhan  Mantri Annadata  Aay  Sanrakshan  Abhiyan  (PMAASHA)'.  The Scheme is aimed at ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers for their produce as announced in the Union Budget for 2018. This is an unprecedented step taken by Govt. of India to protect the farmers' income which is expected to go a long way towards the welfare of farmers.
- (xi) Bee  keeping  has  been  promoted  under  Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of Horticulture  (MIDH)  to  increase  the  productivity  of  crops  through  pollination  and increase the honey production as an additional source of income of farmers.
- (xii) To  ensure  flow  of  adequate  credit,  Government  sets  annual  target  for  the  flow  of credit to the agriculture sector, Banks have been consistently surpassing the annual target. The agriculture credit flow target has been set at Rs. 13.50 lakh crore for the F.Y.2019-20 and Rs.15.00 lakh crore for F.Y. 2020-21.
- (xiii) Extending the reach of institutional credit to more and more farmers is priority area of the Government  and  to  achieve  this goal, the Government  provides  interest subvention  of  2%  on  short-term  crop  loans  up  to  Rs.3.00  lakh.  Presently,  loan  is available to farmers at an interest rate of 4% per annum on prompt repayment.
- (xiv) Further, under Interest Subvention Scheme 2018-19, in order to provide relief to the farmers  on  occurrence  of  natural  calamities,  the  interest  subvention  of  2%  shall continue  to  be  available  to  banks  for  the  first  year  on  the  restructured  amount.  In order  to  discourage  distress  sale  by  farmers  and  to  encourage  them  to  store  their produce in warehouses against negotiable receipts, the benefit of interest subvention will be available to small and marginal farmers having Kisan Credit Card for a further period of upto six months post harvest on the same rate as available to crop loan.
- (xv) The Government has extended the facility of Kisan Credit Card (KCC) to the farmers practicing  animal  husbandry  and  fisheries  related  activities.  All  processing  fee, inspection, ledger folio charges and all other services charges have been waived off for fresh renewal of KCC. Collateral fee loan limit for short term agri-credit has been raised from Rs.1.00 lakh to Rs.1.60 lakh. KCC will be issued within 14 days from the receipt of completed application.

********