Lok Sabha Question No. 21 (STARRED), answered on 2021-07-20
Subject: Promotion of Modern Farming
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Jaskaur Meena

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

## LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 21

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE  20 TH  JULY, 2021

## PROMOTION OF MODERN FARMING

- †*21.    SHRIMATI JASKAUR MEENA:

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

- (a) whether the Government is promoting modern farming alongwith traditional farming in the country;
- (b) if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  is  providing  facilities  to  promote  modern  farming  in  the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government has also fixed any target to promote modern farming; and
- (e) if so, the details thereof including the present achievements in this regard?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी

(SHRI NARENDRA  SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) to (e): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT  REFERRED  TO  IN  REPLY  TO  PARTS  (a)  TO  (e)  OF  LOK  SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 21   DUE FOR REPLY ON 20 th  JULY, 2021.

(a) to (e): The Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare under various missions/schemes is promoting and extending supports to the farmers for various modern farming  technologies  to  sustain  growth  of  agriculture  through  infrastructure  development supports for establishment of Custom Hiring Centres/Hi-tech Hubs of agricultural machines. Under  Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture  (MIDH)Scheme,  for  protected cultivation  of  horticulture  and  vegetable  crops,  since  2014-15  to  2020-21,  an  amount  of Rs.2763.35 crore have been released and an area of more than 2.33 lakh hectare has been covered.  Production  and  distribution  of  certified  /quality  seeds  of  165.08  lakh  quintal  has been done against the requirement of 154.50 lakh quintal in Kharif 2021.In Kharif1933468 quintals  of  hybrid  seeds  were  made  available  against  the  demand  of  1906633  quintals. Resources conservation technologies for water  use  efficiency enhancement  through micro irrigation  has  been  promoted  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana  (PMKSY). Under PMKSY, funds of Rs.14548.03 Crore have been released since 2015-16 to 2020-21 and an area of 57.31 lakh hectare was brought under micro irrigation.

Soil Heath Cards distribution to farmers for soil test based balanced and judicious use of  fertilizers  has  been  undertaken  and  a  total  of  107412648  soil  health  cards  have  been issued  during  Cycle-I  (2015-17)  and  119450316during  cycle  -II(2017-19).The  institutional support  is  provided  through  technological  interventions  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Fasal  Bima Yojana  (PMFBY).  Under  PMFBY  as  against  the  premium  amounting  to  Rs.21614  crore collected from farmers since inception of the scheme in 2016-17, so far claims amounting to Rs.97719 crores   have already    been   paid to about 834.6 lakh farmers. Under PM-KISAN,

financial benefits of approximately 1.37 lakh crores has been given to more than 11.08 crore beneficiaries.  Under  digital  agriculture,  precision  farming  is  promoted  by  use  of  drones  in pesticide spraying  for  locust control.  The  dissemination  of  all  the  agriculture related information  to  the  farming  community  is  done  through  various  delivery  channels  including SMSs, farmer's portals, mobile apps etc.

Keeping in view the vital role of agricultural mechanization to modernize agriculture, central grants amounting to Rs. 4865croreshave been released to the States during the period from 2014-15  to  2021-22through  which  more  than  1323000  machines  have  been  distributed  to farmers  and  more  than15400  Custom  Hiring  Centres,  360  Hi-tech  hubs  and  14200  Farm Machinery  Banks  have  been  established  to  make  machines  and  equipments  available  to farmers on rental basis. These interventions have helped in increasing the farm power per unit area for performing various agricultural operations by 43 % than in 2013-14.

*****