Lok Sabha Question No. 2160 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-15
Subject: Doubling of Farmers Income
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Abhishek Banerjee, Veena Devi, Reddeppa Nallakonda Gari, Pocha Brahmananda Reddy

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.  2160

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 15 TH  MARCH, 2022

## DOUBLING OF FARMERS INCOME

2160.  SHRI ABHISHEK BANERJEE: SHRIMATI VEENA DEVI: SHRI N. REDDEPPA: SHRI POCHA BRAHMANANDA REDDY:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  intends  to  double  farmers'  income  and  has  set  any targets earlier for the same;
- (b) if so, the details thereof including the steps taken towards achieving these targets for the last three years, year-wise;
- (c) whether the per capita income of farmers has increased or decreased in the last three years and if so, the percentage thereof;
- (d) whether the target of doubling farmers' income by 2022 will be fulfilled as per the decided time frame, if not, the reasons therefor;
- (e) whether the Government has achieved any significant target to double farmers' income and the details thereof; and
- (f) the manner in which the Government is likely to ensure the increase in income of not  only  those  farmers  who  themselves  are  engaged  in  farming  but  of  actual  farmers too?

## ANSWER

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

(a) to (f): The Government constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee in April, 2016 to examine issues relating to 'Doubling of Farmers Income' and recommend strategies to  achieve  the  same.    The  Committee  submitted  its  Report  to  the  Government  in September,  2018.  After  acceptance  of  the  DFI  Committee  recommendations,  the Government has constituted an 'Empowered Body' to review and monitor the progress

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.

The  Government  has  adopted  several  developmental  programmes,  schemes, reforms and policies that focus on higher incomes for the farmers. All these policies & programmes  are  being  supported  by  higher  budgetary  allocations,  non-budgetary financial resources such as creating Corpus Funds like Micro Irrigation Fund etc. There have  been  several  reforms  to  unleash  the  potential,  e.g.  Formation  and  Promotion  of 10,000  FPOs  along  with  necessary  financial  support  under  Atma  Nirbhar  Package (Agriculture). Under Atma Nirbhar Bharat special attention is being paid for creation of infrastructure for which ' Agri Infrastructure Fund (AIF) has been created  with a size of Rs.  100,000  crore.  Other  special  initiatives  include  Supplementary  Income  transfers under PM-KISAN; Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojna  (PMFBY);  Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai  Yojana  (PMKSY);  Increase  in  Minimum  Support  Price  (MSPs)  for  all  Kharif  & Rabi Crops ensuring a minimum of 50 percent of profit margin on the cost of production, Bee-Keeping;  Rashtriya  Gokul  Mission;  Blue  Revolution;  Interest  Subvention  Scheme; Kisan Credit Card (KCC) that now offers production loan to even dairy & fishery farmers besides agricultural crops etc. The adoption of Drone technologies in agriculture has a potential  to  revolutionize  the  Indian  agriculture.   In  order  to  make  Drone  technology affordable to the farmers and other stakeholders of this sector, financial assistance @ 100 % cost of drone together with the contingent expenditure is extended to ICAR/SAU/ State  governments/  State  government  Institutions  under  Sub-Mission  on  Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) for its demonstration on the farmer's fields. A list of interventions/ achievements is at Annexure .

The progress made so far indicate that we are on right track.

The  Situation  Assessment  Survey  (SAS)  is  carried  out  by  the  National  Statistical Organization (NSO) at certain intervals only, and not on a regular annual basis. The last two  SAS  were  carried  out  for  the  Agricultural  Years,  July  2012-June  2013,  and  July 2018-June 2019. The last available estimates on income of agricultural household are based  on  the  Situation  Assessment  Survey  of  Agricultural  Households  conducted  by National Sample Survey Office (NSSO) during 77 th round (January - December 2019). As per the survey results, the average monthly income per agricultural household from all sources was estimated to be. Rs. 10218/-.

## Achievements:

## (i) Unprecedented enhancement in budget allocation

In the year 2013-14, the Budget allocation for Department of Agriculture was only Rs.  21933.50  crore.  This  has  been  increased  by  more  than  5.5  times  to  Rs. 1,23017.57 crore in 2021-22.

## (ii)

- Record food grains and horticulture production

Food  grain  production  has  increased  from  265.05  million  tonnes  in  2013-14  to record  305.43  million  tonnes  in  2020-21  (Third  advance  estimate)  which  is  the highest  ever  food  grain  production.  Horticulture  production  has  increased  from 280.99  million  tonnes  in  2014-15  to  320.48  million  tonnes  in  2020-21  (2nd advance Estimate) which is the highest ever for Indian horticulture.

## (iii) Fixing of MSP at one-and-a half times the cost of production -

- 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. 1940 per quintal in 2021-22 from Rs. 1310 per quintal in 2013-14 marking an increase of 48%.
- MSP for Wheat increased from Rs. 1400 per quintal in 2013-14 to Rs. 2015 per quintal in 2021-22.

## (iv) Income support to farmers through PM KISAN

Launch of PM-KISAN in 2019 -an income support scheme providing Rs. 6000 per year in 3 equal instalments. A total of Rs. 1.8 lakh crores have been released so far to more than 11.7 crore farmer families.

## (v)

- Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) PMFBY was launched in  2016  addressing  problems  of  high  premium  rates  for farmers  and  reduction  in  sum  insured  due  to  capping.  In  past  5  Years  of implementation  -  29.29  crore  farmer  applicants  enrolled  and  over  8.99  crore (Provisional)  farmer  applicants  have  received  claims  of  over  Rs.  103903  crore. During this period nearly Rs. 21448 crore were paid by farmers as their share of premium against which claims of over Rs.103903 crore (Provisional) have paid to them. Thus for every 100 rupees of premium paid by farmers, they have received

Rs. 484 as claims.

## (vi) Institutional credit for agriculture sector

-  Increased from Rs.7.3 lakh crore in 2013-14 with a target to reach Rs. 16.5 lakh crore in 2021-22.
-  Benefit of concessional institutional credit through KCC at 4% interest per annum has also now been extended to Animal Husbandry and Fisheries farmers for meeting their short-term working capital needs.
-  A  special  drive  has  been  undertaken  since  February  2020  to  provide concessional institutional credit with focus on covering all PM-KISAN beneficiaries through  Kisan  Credit  Cards  (KCC).  Till  date,  270.29  lakh  new  KCC  have  been issued with sanctioned amount of Rs.2,88,832 crore.'

## (vii) Providing Soil Health Cards to farmers

Soil Health Card Scheme was introduced in the year 2014-15 to optimize usage of nutrients.  Soil  health  cards  have  been  issued  free  of  cost  to  nearly  11  crore farmers under a nationwide program.

## (viii) Promotion of organic farming in the country

- Paramparagat  Krishi  VikasYojana  (PKVY)  was  initiated  in  2015-16  to  promote organic  farming  in  the  country.  Two-year  achievement  under  PKVY  scheme19043 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.
- Mission Organic Value Chain Development in North East Region (MOVCDNER) has  been  launched.  170  Farmer  Producer  Companies  have  been  formed comprising of 1.55 lakh farmers and covering 1,55,495 ha area.

In addition, to facilitate organic certification at affordable cost and easy to adopt approaches, a New Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) certification  was  launched during  2015.  This  PGS  system  is  unique  in  the  world  and  is  the  largest  participatory organic certification programme in the world. Around 11 lakh small and marginal farmers are certified under PGS certification. A Jaivik kheti portal has been initiated to assist the small and marginal famers in selling their organic products directly to consumers. As of now, around 5.56 lakh farmers are registered on the portal. In addition, quick certification of default organic areas such as islands, remote, hilly areas have been initiated under the  Large  Area  Certification  programme.  This  will  enable  small  farmers  to  market certified  products  immediately  without  waiting  for  the  normal  certification  period  of  3 years. Around 14445 ha in Car Nicobar Islands of the Andamans is now certified under the  programme  helping  marginal  farmers  in  the  area  for  marketing  certified  products. Proposal  of  5000  ha  area  has  been  received  from  Ladakh  under  LAC  and  fund  Rs 11.475  lakh  has  been  released.  The  entire  cultivable  land  of  2700  ha  area  of Lakshadweep  have  been  certified  organic  under  Large  area  certification.  Support  for individual farmers for certification has also been introduced to encourage farmers to take up organic farming.

## (ix) Neem Coating of Urea

Neem Coated Urea has been introduced since 2015-16 to ensure long availability of nutrients in the soil by slow release of nitrogen. It has also helped in curtailing diversion of urea for non- agricultural activities.

## (x) Agri Infrastructure Fund (AIF)

Within  a  year  of  the  launch  of  AIF,  the  scheme  mobilized  Rs.7700  Crore  worth agriculture  infrastructure  in  the  country  for  more  than  7300  projects.    With  the support of the scheme, various agriculture infrastructure was created and some of the infrastructure  is  at  the  final  stage  of  completion.  This  infrastructure  includes 3898 warehouses, 155 assaying units, 136 primary processing units, 135 sorting & grading units, 20 smart & precision agriculture projects and around 3000 other kind of post-harvest management projects and community farming assets.

## (xi) Promotion of FPOs

-  Scheme  for  Formation  and  Promotion  of  10,000  FPOs  launched  with  a  total budgetary provision of Rs. 6865 Crore in February 2020.
-  So far, more than 4965 FPO produce clusters have been allocated to respective Implementing Agencies (IAs).
-  Cluster Based Business Organizations (CBBOs) have been empanelled by different IAs and already allocated blocks to them.
-  At  national  level,  a  National  Project  Management Agency  (NPMA)  is engaged for  providing  overall  project  guidance,  data  maintenance  through  integrated portal and information management and monitoring.
- (xii) A National Bee and Honey Mission (NBHM) has been launched in 2020 as part of the AtmaNirbhar Bharat Abhiyan. Rs.500 crore for the period 20202021 to 2022-2023 has been allocated for the sector.

## (xiii) Per Drop More Crop component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY-PDMC)

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. 779.18 crore released to States so far.

## (xiv) Micro Irrigation Fund

A Micro Irrigation Fund of Rs 5000 crore has been placed with NABARD.  In the Budget for 2021-22 the corpus of the fund has been increased to Rs.1000 crores. Projects worth Rs 3970.17 crore covering 12.83 lakh hectares have been approved.

## (xv) Agricultural Mechanization

Agricultural mechanization is extremely vital to modernize agriculture and reduce drudgery of farming operations.  During the period from 2014-15 to 2021-22 (as on 31.12.2021) an amount  of Rs. 5130.61 crore have been allocated for agricultural mechanization. 13,78,755 numbers of machines and equipments have been provided to farmers on  subsidy.   16,007  custom  hiring  centers,  378  hightech hubs and 16,064 farm machinery banks have been established.

During the period from 2018-19 to 2021-22 (as on 31.12.2021), an amount of Rs. 2440.07 crore have been released to the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, NCT of Delhi and ICAR for crop residue management. 39,398 Custom Hiring  Centers  (CHCs)  of  crop  residue  management  machines  have  been established  in  these  States  and  a  total  of  more  than  2.00  lakh  machines  have been  supplied  to  these  established  CHCs  and  individual  farmers  of  these  four States.

## (xvi) National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) scheme

-  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 e-NAM platform

## (xvii) Promotion of Agri Start up

799 start-ups in the agriculture and allied sectors have been selected for funding of  a  sum  of  Rs.  86.64  crore  in  instalments  and  Rs.  37.90  crore  have  been released to respective KPs and RABIs for funding these start-ups. These start-ups were  trained  for  two  months  at  various  agribusiness  incubation  centres  i.e. Knowledge Partners (KPs) & RKVY-RAFTAAR Agribusiness Incubators (RABIs).

## (xviii) Promoting Use of Drones in Agriculture

-  The adoption of Drone technologies in agriculture have a potential to revolutionize the Indian agriculture and ensure country's food security. Accordingly, looking into the  unique  advantages  of  Drone  technologies  in  agriculture,  the  Department  of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare has released the Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) for  use  of  drones  in  pesticide  and  nutrient  application  in  public  domain 21.12.2021, which provide concise instructions for effective and safe operations of drones.
-  In order to make this technology affordable to the farmers and other stakeholders of  this  sector,  financial  assistance  @  100  %  cost  of  drone  together  with  the contingent  expenditure  is  extended  to  ICAR/SAU/  State  governments/  State government Institutions under Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) for  its  demonstration  on  the  farmer's  fields.  In  order  to  provide  agricultural services through drone application, financial assistance @ 40% of the basic cost of  drone  and  its  attachments  or  Rs.4  lakhs,  whichever  less  is  also  provided  for drone  purchase  by  existing  and  new  Custom  Hiring  Centers  (CHCs)  under Cooperative Society of Farmers, FPOs and Rural entrepreneurs. The agriculture graduates establishing CHCs are eligible to receive financial assistance @ 50% or up to Rs.5 lakhs.

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