Lok Sabha Question No. 3563 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2019-12-10
Subject: Protection of Paddy Fields
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: T.N. Prathapan

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

## LOK  SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3563 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 10 TH  DECEMBER, 2019

## PROTECTION OF PADDY FIELDS

3563.  SHRI T.N. PRATHAPAN:

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

- (a) the details of the special fund provided by the Union Government for preservation of Thrissur-Ponnani kole fields which are among the largest paddy fields in Kerala State;
- (b) whether the Government will allocate more funds for further phases of the project;
- (c) the  details  of  the  Union  Government's  initiatives  to  protect  paddy  fields  in  the country; and
- (d) the  details  of  fund  allocations  to  Kerala  for  preserving  paddy  fields  of  the  State during 2014-2019 period?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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

- (a) to (d): In order to preserve Thrissur-Ponnani kole fields, the Government of India has allocated funds for integrated Kole Development Project in Thrissur-Ponnani Kole wet lands through  Rashtriya  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (RKVY)  &  Rural  Infrastructure  Development  Fund (RIDF) through National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD).

Along with assistance for infrastructure development, RKVY is also promoting fallow land cultivation and pokkali cultivation in Kerala.

Similarly,  National Food Security Mission (NFSM)-Rice is being implemented in the identified  districts  of  the  country  including  Kerala  with  the  objective  of  increasing  the production and productivity of rice. Under the programme, assistance is being provided for various  interventions  like  demonstrations  on  latest  crop  production  technologies,  seed distribution  of  latest  HYVs/Hybrids,  Integrated  Nutrient  &  Pest  Management  (IPM),  water conservation devices, farm implements/ tools and capacity building of farmers through the State Governments.

Further,  the  institutes/research  centres  of  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research (ICAR)  and  Kerala  Agricultural  University  (KAU),  Thrissur viz., Krishi  Vigyan  Kendra, Thrissur,  Regional  Agricultural  Research  Station,  Pattambi  in  Palakkad  district,  Rice Research  Station  Moncompu  in  Kuttanad  belt  of  Alapuzha  district  and  Rice  Research Station, Vyttila (voluntary centre of rice) undertake research and extension activities on all aspects  of  rice  cultivation viz .  crop  improvement,  crop  protection  and  crop  management. These research & development activities help to preserve paddy fields in Kerala.

The details of funds for the Kole Projects sanctioned under RKVY, RIDF & NFSM from the year 2014-15 to 2019-2 0 are Annexed .

## Referred to Lok Sabha Q. No. 3563 for answer on 10.12.2019 1. List of Kole Projects under RKVY for Kerala

|   Sr No | Project Name                                                                                                                                 | Year    |   Total Cost (in Crores) |
|---------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------|--------------------------|
|       1 | Widening the bund at Varattukole in the eastern side boundary bund of Chettupuzhapadasekharam, Varattukolepadavu in Arimbur Gramapanchayath. | 2014-15 |                   1.64   |
|       2 | Fish/Prawn culture in padasekharams/Kole fields - Phase II                                                                                   | 2015-16 |                   2      |
|       3 | Project for Developing lift irrigation Units for paddy Cultivation in Umayattukara Padasekharam of Thiruvanvandoor Panchayat                 | 2015-16 |                   0.604  |
|       4 | Productivity improvement of paddy                                                                                                            | 2015-16 |                  81      |
|       5 | Revitalization of Pokkali - Paddy Cultivation                                                                                                | 2015-16 |                   3.9715 |
|       6 | Fish/prawn culture in padasekharams/Kole fields                                                                                              | 2016-17 |                   4      |
|       7 | Promoting paddy cultivation in fallow lands                                                                                                  | 2016-17 |                   1.5    |
|       8 | Construction of leading channel at pullazhi kole padavu thrissur corporation                                                                 | 2017-18 |                   1.01   |
|       9 | Productivity improvement of paddy in Kerala state 2017-18                                                                                    | 2017-18 |                  45      |

Note:- Data entered by State Govt. on RKVY MIS

## 2 Funds provided under Rural Infrastructure Development Fund (RIDF) for Kole Development

| No.   | RIDF Tranche   | Project Name                                       | District   | Date of sanction   |   Area covered (Ha) |   Total Financial Outlay |   RIDF Loan |   State Govt. share |   Rs. in crore Total disbursement under RIDF as on date |
|-------|----------------|----------------------------------------------------|------------|--------------------|---------------------|--------------------------|-------------|---------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|
| 1     | XX (2014- 15)  | Integrated Developme nt of Kole Wetlands in Kerala | Thrissur   | 16-01-2015         |                4000 |                    79.29 |       75.33 |                3.96 |                                                   50.99 |
| 2     | XXII (2016-17) | Integrated Developme nt of Kole Land (Phase III)   | Thrissur   | 29-12-2016         |                2500 |                    26.55 |       25.22 |                1.33 |                                                    5.04 |
|       | Total          |                                                    |            |                    |                6500 |                   105.84 |      100.55 |                5.29 |                                                   56.03 |

## 3 National Food Security Mission (NFSM) -Rice

## Annexure

(Rs. in crore)

| Year    |   Allocation (GOI share) |
|---------|--------------------------|
| 2014-15 |                     3.15 |
| 2015-16 |                     1.5  |
| 2016-17 |                     1.46 |
| 2017-18 |                     1.05 |
| 2018-19 |                     0.93 |
| 2019-20 |                     0.9  |