Lok Sabha Question No. 4559 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-23
Subject: Report of CSDS
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Pritam Gopinath Munde

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4559

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 23 RD  MARCH, 2021

## REPORT OF CSDS

4559.      DR. PRITAM GOPINATHRAO MUNDE:

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

- (a) whether  a  report  prepared  by  the  Centre  for  the  Study  of  Developing  Societies (CSDS)  revealed  that  76  per  cent  farmers  would  prefer  to  do  some  other  work  than farming and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Government has taken cognizance the aforesaid report;
- (c) if so, the details thereof and the reaction of the Government thereon;
- (d) whether agricultural extension services are almost non-existent today and if so, the details thereof;
- (e) whether  there  is  a  need  to  provide  expert  advice  by  trained  officials  at  farmers' doorstep at the beginning of every crop season regarding all issues like which crops to sow, technology, market prices, soil fertility, irrigation; and
- (f) if  so,  the  details  of  steps  taken/being  taken  by  the  Government  to  provide  expert advice to the farmers at their doorstep?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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

- (a) to (c): The  Centre  for  the  Study  of  Developing  Societies  (CSDS),  Delhi,  between December 2013 and January 2014, conducted primary survey across 18 States of India and published a report titled 'State of Indian Farmers: A report', in which it was stated that 24 per cent youth belonging to farmer households are interested in continuing farming.

The  Government  has  adopted  several  developmental  programmes,  schemes, reforms and policies that focus on higher incomes for the farmers and to make agriculture attractive.  All  these  policies  &  programmes  are  being  supported  by  higher  budgetary allocations, non-budgetary financial resources by way of creating Corpus Funds like Micro Irrigation Fund and Agri-marketing Fund to strengthen eNAM and GrAMs, Market Reforms like Model APLMC (Promotion & Facilitation) Act, 2017, Establishment of 22,000 number of  Gramin Agriculture Markets (GrAMs), Agri-Export Policy, The Farmers Produce Trade and  Commerce  (Promotion  &  Facilitation)  Act.,  2020,The  Farmers  (Empowerment  & Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act.,  2020, Amendments to  Essential  Commodities  Act,  1955,  Promotion  of  10,000  FPOs  and  supplementary income transfers under PM-KISAN, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna (PMFBY), Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojna (PMKSY), Increase in Minimum Support Price (MSPs) for all Kharif  &  Rabi  Crops,  Har  Med  Par  Ped,  Bee-Keeping,  Rashtriya  Gokul  Mission,  Blue Revolution,  Interest  Subvention  Scheme,  Kisan  Credit  Card  (KCC),  etc.The  latest  major intervention includes the 'Atma Nirbhar Bharat -Agriculture' which includes comprehensive  market  reforms  and  creation  of  'Agricultural  Infrastructure  Fund  (AIF)' worth  Rs.  1  lakh  crores.  In  the  Budget  Announcement  2021-22,  allocation  to  Micro Irrigation  Fund  has  been  doubled  to  Rs  10000  crore  and  Institutional  Credit  has  been increased to Rs 16.50 lakh crore.

(d) to (f): The Government has taken various steps to impart knowledge by conducting trainings  to  farmers'  at  panchayat  and  village  levels  in  agriculture  and  allied sectors for increasing agricultural production. The topics of the training include the crop to sow,  seeds,  technology,  soil  fertility,  irrigation  etc to  ensure  continuous  growth  in  the agriculture sector. Some of the interventions in this direction are:

- (i).      Creation of a  network of 721 Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) by Indian Council of Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)   to  facilitate  farmer's  access  to  knowledge  and information  generated  by  Agricultural  Universities  and  ICAR  Institutes  of  the country.
- (ii). Initiatives  under  Agriculture  Technology  Management  Agency  (ATMA)  Scheme like Extension Reforms, Mass Media Support to Agricultural Extension, Kisan Call Centres, Agri-Clinics and Agri-Business Centres, Exhibitions/ Fairs etc.
- (iii). Sub Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM)
- (iv)   Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization for In-Situ Management of Crop Residue in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and NCT of Delhi
- (v) National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) scheme
- (vi) Soil Health Card (SHC) Scheme
- (vii)     Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)
- (viii) Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)
- (ix) Promotion of 10,000 Farmers Producers Organization (FPOs).

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