Lok Sabha Question No. 3708 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-07-16
Subject: Doubling Income of Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Rajendra Agrawal

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

## LOK  SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3708 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 16 TH   JULY, 2019

## DOUBLING INCOME OF FARMERS

## 3708.  SHRI  RAJENDRA  AGRAWAL:

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

- (a) whether the Government has reviewed the performance of schemes implemented for doubling the income of farmers till the year 2022, if so, the shortcomings creating hurdles in doubling the income of farmers;
- (b) the steps taken by the Government to rectify the said shortcomings;
- (c) the  extent  to  which  quality  of  life  of  farmers  particularly  small  and  marginal  farmers has improved due to new initiatives, schemes and programmes; and
- (d) the assistance provided to the State Governments for implementation of schemes and programmes for welfare of farmers?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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

- (a) & (b): All  schemes  of  Department  of  Agriculture,  Cooperation  and  Farmers Welfare are  for  enhanced  agriculture  production  and  related  activities  to  contribute  to  the  national target  of  doubling  farmers'  income  by  2022.  Every  scheme  has  an  inbuilt  mechanism  for periodical  review  in  consultation  with  the  implementing  states  and  suitable  measures  are taken for improving outcomes, as required.
- (c): Agriculture being a State subject, the State Governments undertake development of perspective  plans  and  ensures  effective  implementation  of  the  programmes/  schemes. Government  of  India  supplements  the  efforts  of  the  State  Governments  through  various Schemes/ Programmes aimed at inter-alia improving production, post harvest management, progressive  agri-market  reforms,  access  to  credit,  risk  management  and  income  support. Some important initiatives for improvement in the quality of life of farmers include:
- i) Simplification  of  procedures  to  avail  Kisan  Credit  Cards  (KCC),  which  provides agriculture  credit  to  farmers  at  subsidized  rates,  with  a  2%  interest  subvention  (IS)  and Prompt Repayment Incentive (PRI) of 3% so as to make the effective rate of interest as 4% include:

- a) Activities relating to Animal Husbandry and Fisheries included in KCC - benefits of  IS and PRI also extended
- b) Indian  Banker's  Association  has  waived  off  processing  fee,  inspection,  ledger  folio charges and all other service charges for renewal/fresh issue of KCC.

c)   RBI has raised the collateral free existing agriculture loan limit from Rs.1 lakh to Rs.1.60 lakh.

ii) Claims of Rs. 8,665 crore were paid to 553.01 lakh farmers in the year 2018-19 under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY).

iii) Giving a major boost for the farmers income, the Government 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.

iv) To provide income support to all farmers' families across the country and enable them to take care of expenses related to agriculture and allied activities as well as domestic needs, the 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, subject to certain exclusions relating to higher income groups.  An amount of Rs. 12646.579 crore has been distributed to 632.32895 lakh farmers in the year 2018-19.

v) 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 for providing old age pension to these farmers. Under this Scheme, a minimum fixed pension  of  Rs.  3000/-  be  provided  to  the  eligible  small  and  marginal  farmers,  subject  to certain  exclusion  clauses,  on  attaining  the  age  of  60  years.  The  scheme  aims  to  cover around 5 crore beneficiaries in the first three years. It would be a voluntary and contributory pension  scheme,  with  entry  age  of  18  to  40  years.  The  Government  has  approved  a budgetary provision of Rs. 10774.50 crore for the scheme till March, 2022.

(vi) 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 towards the welfare of farmers.

(vii) 585 wholesale regulated markets of 16 States and 02 UTs have been integrated with National  Agriculture  Market  (e-NAM)  platform.  e-NAM  has  recently  achieved  another milestone by commencing inter-State trade between mandis of two different States. Earlier trade used to happen either within the Agricultural Produce Market Committees (APMCs) or between two APMCs situated within same state. Eleven States/UT have participated in interstate trade on e-NAM platform.

(d): During the year 2018-19, an amount of Rs. 11,731.67 crore has been released to the State  Governments  for  implementation  of  various  schemes  for  welfare  of  farmers  by  the Department of Agriculture, Cooperation and Farmers Welfare.