Lok Sabha Question No. 1206 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-27
Subject: Excessive use of Chemical Fertilizers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Ritesh Pandey

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1206

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 27 TH  JULY, 2021

## EXCESSIVE USE OF CHEMICAL FERTILIZERS

1206 . SHRI RITESH PANDEY:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण

- मंी be pleased to state: (a) whether any study has revealed that most of the serious ailments are occurring due  to  excessive  use  of  chemical  fertilizers  and  insecticides,  if  so,  whether  the Government has formulated  any  concrete  programme for  conducting  a  study  in this regard; (b) whether the Government proposes to promote the use of bio-fertilizers in view of the adverse effect of chemical fertilizers and pesticides on human health and if so, the details thereof; (c) whether the Government proposes to promote production/research work on such bio-fertilizers so as to ensure that there is no shortage of bio-fertilizers and their production remains unaffected and cost-effective and if so, the details thereof; and whether the Government has conducted any study on the effect of bio-fertilizers
- (d) on the agricultural output and if so, the outcome thereof?

## ANSWER

( SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR )

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी

- (a):      As  such,  there  is  no  harmful  effect  of  chemical  fertilizers  and  insecticides  with balanced  and  judicious  use  as  per  recommendation.    However,  imbalanced  use  of chemical fertilizers  coupled  with  low  addition  of  organic  matter  over  years  may  cause

multi-nutrient  deficiencies  in  soil.  There  is  also  possibility  of  nitrate  contamination  in groundwater  above  the  permissible  limit  of  10  mg  NO3-N/L  due  to  excessive  use  of nitrogenous fertilizers particularly in light textured soils.

(b) & (c):   Government of India has been promoting production and use of bio-fertilizers under various schemes/ programmes given below:

-  Capital Investment Subsidy Scheme (CISS): Credit linked back ended subsidy is provided to individuals/ private agencies through NABARD for setting up of Biofertilizer production units @ 25% of cost limited to Rs.40 lakhs /unit.   State and Central Government agencies are provided 100% assistance with maximum limit of Rs 160.00 lakh per unit of 200 Ton Per Annum (TPA) capacity.
-  Paramparagat Krishi  Vikas Yojana (PKVY): Assistance  of  Rs.  31,000/  ha/3 years   is provided to the farmers directly through DBT, for inputs including biofertilizers, bio pesticides, vermi-compost, botanical extracts etc
-  Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) : Farmers are given assistance of Rs15000/ ha/ 3 years for both onfarm & off-farm organic input.
-  National Mission on Oilseeds and Oil Palm (NMOOP): Financial assistance@ 50%  subsidy  to  the  tune  of  Rs.  300/-  per  ha  is  being  provided  for  different components  including bio-fertilizers, supply of Rhizobium culture/Phosphate Solubilising Bacteria (PSB)/ Zinc Solubilising Bacteria(ZSB)/ Azatobacter/ Mycorrhiza and vermi compost.
-  National Food Security Mission (NFSM): Under NFSM, financial assistance is provided  for  promotion  of  Bio-Fertilizer  (Rhizobium/  PSB)  @50%  of  the  cost limited to Rs.300 per ha.
-  Network  project  on  Soil  biodiversity-  Bio-fertilizers: The  Indian  Council  of Agriculture  Research  (ICAR)  under  Network  project  on  Soil  biodiversity-  Biofertilizers has developed improved and efficient strains of bio-fertilizers and tested on different crops and soil types to promote use of bio-fertilizers.

(d):      The study   of Indian Council of Agriculture Research (ICAR) - 'Network project on soil biodiversity- bio fertilizers' indicates that bio-fertilizers can improve crop yields by 1025% and supplement costly chemical fertilizer (N,  P) by  nearly 20-25%  in  most  of  the cases when used along with the chemical fertilizers. Bio-fertilizers  when  applied  along with compost @ 5t/ha or vermi-compost @ 2t/ha, fertilizer saving is almost 50%.

******