Lok Sabha Question No. 2147 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-15
Subject: Improvements in Agriculture
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Kani K. Navas

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2147

TO BE ANSWEREDON THE 15 TH  MARCH, 2022

## IMPROVEMENTS IN AGRICULTURE

2147.  SHRI K. NAVASKANI:

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

- (a)   whether the Government has taken steps to improve the lives and livelihood of our farmers and ensure agricultural improvement through effective policy and actions, such as seed development and better crop insurance system, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(b) whether the farming community is suffering due to low productivity and income, lack of institutional credit support and low water availability;

(c) if so, the steps taken/proposed to be taken for activating hope and building resilience among farmers by empowering them with knowledge and skills;

(d)  whether  important  areas  requiring  assistance  in  agriculture  are  the  supply  of  seed, fertilizer,  credit  and  crop  information,  extension  services,  marketing  facilities  and  crop insurance;

(e) if  so, the initiatives taken/being taken by the Government since active involvement of the  Government  in  these  areas  is  important  in  less  advanced  agricultural  systems  to overcome the barriers in improvement of agricultural productivity and farm income; and

- (f)  if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) Agriculture being a State Subject, the State  Governments  take  appropriate measures  for  development  of  agriculture  in  the  State.  However,  Government  of  India supplements  the  efforts  of  States  through  appropriate  policy  measures  and  budgetary support  and  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  interventions/ schemes launched for the benefit of farmers are at Annexure .
- (b) to (f) By  recognizing  the  importance  of  productivity,  income  generation,  credit supply, water and fertilizer, the Government has already started various schemes such as PM-KISAN for income support, Minimum Support Prices (MSP) for remunerative income,

strengthening of Agri logistics by steps taken under Atma Nirbhar Bharat which includes creation of Agriculture Infrastructure Funds of Rs. 100,000 lakh crores, PM MatasyaSampadana  Yojana  of  Rs.  20,000  crores,  Animal  Husbandry  Infrastructure Development  Fund  of  Rs.  17,000  crore.  Formation  of  FPOs  and  e-NAM  etc.  improves market efficiency and also helps in getting remunerative prices.

To increase the productivity and production, various  schemes have been launched such as  Soil Health Card (SHC),   Neem coated urea, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY),  National Food  Security Mission (NFSM),     National Mission on Oilseeds  and  Oil  Palm  (NMOOP),  Paramparagat  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (PKVY),  Mission Organic  Value  Chain  Development  for  North  Eastern  Regions  (MOVCDNER),  Mission Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), Integrated Pest Management, Integrated Nutrient  Management,  National  Mission  on  Sustainable  Agriculture  (NMSA),  Watershed Development  Project,  Sub-mission  on  Agricultural  Mechanization(SMAM)  and  Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs).

To make institutional credit available to the farmers, a saturation drive was initiated to  provide  Kisan  Credit  Card  (KCC)  to  all  eligible  farmers  to  have  access  to  Interest Subvention Scheme for concessional loans. For making quality seeds available, a scheme namely  Sub-mission  on  Seeds  and  Planting  Material  (SMSP)  has  been  launched.  To increase  water  efficiency,  a  scheme  Per  Drop  More  Crop  (PDMC-PMKSY)  has  been launched. The Government also ensures timely availability of fertilizers to the farmers and imparts  knowledge,  training,  demonstrations,  exposure  visits  etc.  through  725  Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs) and under schemes such as ATMA , Farm Machinery training and Testing Institutes (FMTTIs) etc.

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

- (i) Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN): 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  instalments  of  Rs.  2000/-  to  the  farmers families, subject to certain exclusions relating to higher income groups.
- (ii) Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY): 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 Maan Dhan 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) Pradhan  Mantri  Fasal  Bima  Yojana  (PMFBY): 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 postharvest risks in specified instances, with low premium contribution by farmers. During this  period  nearly  Rs.  21450  crore  were  paid  by  farmers  as  their  share  of  premium against which claims of over Rs.101875 crore (Provisional) have paid to them. Thus for every 100 rupees of premium paid by farmers, they have received Rs. 475 as claims.
- (iv) Minimum Support Price (MSPs): Giving a  major boost for the farmers' income, the Government has approved the increase in the Minimum Support Price (MSPs) for all Kharif & Rabi crops.
-  Government has increased the MSP for all mandated Kharif, Rabi and other commercial crops with a return of at least 50 per cent over all India weighted average cost of production from 2018-19.
-  MSP for Paddy has increased to Rs. 1868 per quintal in 2020-21 from Rs. 1310 per quintal in 2013-14 marking an increase of 43%.
-  MSP for Wheat increased from Rs. 1400 per quintal in 2013-14 to Rs. 1975 per quintal in 2020-21.
- (v) Soil  Health  Cards: Implementation  of  flagship  scheme  of  distribution  of  Soil  Health Cards  to  farmers  so  that  the  use  of  fertilizers  can  be  rationalized.  Soil  health  cards have been issued free of cost to nearly 11 crore farmers under a nationwide program.
- (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. Per Drop More Crop component of Pradhanmantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY\_PDMC) aims to increase water use efficiency at the farm level through Micro Irrigation  technologies,  i.e., drip  and  sprinkler  irrigation  systems.   Under  the  scheme an area  of  20.39  lakh  hectare  has  been  covered  and  about  16  lakh  farmers  were

benefited  under  micro-irrigation  during  2019-20  &  2020  -  21.  An  amount  of  Rs. 5262.20 crore has been provided to states as central assistance under PMKSY-PDMC during 2019-20 and 2020-21.  For the year 2021-22, an amount of Rs. 4000.00 crore (B.E.)  has  been  allocated  for  implementation  of  the  scheme  and  an  amount  of  Rs. 351.50 crore released to States so far.

- (vii) 'Paramparagat  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (PKVY)' -  Paramparagat  Krishi  VikasYojana (PKVY) was initiated in 2015-16 to promote organic farming in the country. Two-year achievement under PKVY scheme, 19043 clusters have been formed and an area of 3.81  lakh  ha  has  been  covered  benefitting  9.52  lakh  farmers.  In  addition,  under Namami Gange Programme 123620 ha area covered and under natural farming 4.09 lakh ha area covered.
- (viii) National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) scheme: Launch of e-NAM initiative to provide farmers with transparent and competitive online trading platform.
-  In 18 states and 03 UTs, 1000 markets have already been integrated with the ENAM Platform.
-  As  on  05.01.2022,  total  volume  of  5.27  crore  MT  &  11.68  crore  numbers (Bamboo, Betel Leaves, Coconut, Lemon & Sweet corn) with collective worth of approximately  Rs.  1.68  lakh  crore  of  trade  has  been  recorded  on  e-NAM platform.  Till  date,  more  than  1.72  crore  farmers  have  been  registered  on  eNAM platform.
- (ix) Pradhan  Mantri  AnnadataAaySanrakshan  Abhiyan  (PMAASHA) :  Giving  a  major boost  to  the  pro-farmer  initiatives,  the  Government  has  approved  a  new  Umbrella Scheme 'Pradhan Mantri AnnadataAaySanrakshan Abhiyan (PMAASHA)'. The Scheme is aimed at ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers for the 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.
- (x) Price Support Scheme (PSS): Increase in procurement under PSS:The procurement of Pulses, oilseeds and copra at MSP under Price Support Scheme (PSS) has  increased  upto  to  167.05  LMT  during  2014-  15  to  2021-22(  upto  22.07.2021). Moreover,  16.83  LMT  of  oilseeds  had  also  been  procured  under  Price  Deficiency payment Scheme (PDPS) in 2018-19. In addition to this around 15.53 LMT of Pulses has also been  procured  at MSP  under  Price  Stabilization  Fund  (PSF)  under administrative control of Department of Consumer Affair.
- (xi) Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH): 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) Institutional Credit for Agriculture :  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, Rs. 15.00 lakh crore for F.Y. 202021and Rs. 16.50 lakh crore for FY 2021-22.
- (xiii) Interest Subvention Scheme: 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) Kisan Credit Card (KCC): 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, leger folio charges and all other services charges have been waived off for fresh renewal of KCC. Collateral fee loan limit for short term agricredit 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.
- (xvi) Several  market  reforms  related  programmes  and  policies  have  been  rolled  out  to facilitate farmers and producers with remunerative price for their produce.
- (xvii) Creating of Corpus Fund
- a.  Micro Irrigation Fund - Rs. 10,000 crore
- b.  Agriculture Infrastructure Fund of Rs. One Lakh Crore -
- (xviii) Farmers'  Producer  Companies  (FPOs): Formation  and  Promotion  of  Farmers' Producer Companies (FPOs) to form and promote 10,000 FPOs.

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