Lok Sabha Question No. 2365 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-03-09
Subject: Interventions for Agricultural Development
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Raghu Ramakrishna Raju Kanumuru, Y. S. Avinash Reddy

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2365

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 9 TH  MARCH, 2021

## INTERVENTIONS FOR AGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENT

2365.  SHRI KANUMURU RAGHU RAMA KRISHNA RAJU: SHRI Y.S. AVINASH REDDY:

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

- (a) whether the Government proposes steps in bringing strategic interventions in market reforms for rapid agricultural development and increasing farmers' income in the light of the problems faced by the farmers due to the COVID-19 situation as well as during the recent natural  climatic  changes  leading  to  damage  of  ready  crops  in  certain  areas  of  Andhra Pradesh; and
- (b) if  so,  the  details  of  the  measures  suggested by the Government  for the welfare of farmers?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी

(SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) to (b): Yes  Sir.  Government  of  India  has  been  taking  various  steps  in  bringing strategic interventions in market reforms for rapid agricultural development and increasing farmers' income in the light of the problems faced by the farmers due to COVID-19 situation as  well  as  natural  climatic  changes  affecting  ready  crops  including  in  certain  areas  of Andhra Pradesh, if any. Some of these major steps are as follows:

- i).  Brought  out  two  Acts  namely  The  Farmers'  Produce  Trade  and  Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020 and Empowerment and Protection of farmers for Agreements of Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020.
- ii).  Allocating Rs.20 lakh crore package for 'Aatma Nirbhar Bharat' which also includes Creation of Agriculture Infrastructure Fund of Rs.1 lakh crore and Rs 500 crores for Bee-Keeping initiative.
- iii). Since  24 th March,  2020  under  Pradhan  Mantri  Kisan  Samman  Nidhi  (PM-KISAN) Scheme, an amount of Rs.40000 crore has been transferred to the bank account of farmers.

- iv).  Government  facilitated  the farmer  for  timely  harvest  of  the  entire  crop,  resulting  in record procurement of Rabi crop production.
- v).  Several  steps  were  taken to  decongest  wholesale market  and  to  boost  the supply chain like launching of FPO trade module under National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) platform  and  Kisan  Rath  mobile  app.  for  facilitating  availability  of  appropriate transport facility to the farmers for movement of farm produce.
- vi).  Starting of Kisan Rail to provide seamless connectivity among farmers, markets and consumers  and  help  farmers  send  their  perishable  agro-products  to  inter-state markets in a time bound manner.
- vii). Under the Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan' (PM-AASHA) States/UTs  are  offered  to  choose  either  Price  Support  Scheme  (PSS)  or  Price Deficiency Payment Scheme (PDPS) in a given procurement season with respect to particular  oilseeds crop for the entire State. Pulses and Copra are procured under PSS.
- viii). 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 post-harvest risks in specified instances, with low premium contribution by farmers.

Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) under its flagship program of National Innovations  in  Climate  Resilient  Agriculture  (NICRA)  has  screened  large  number  of indigenous crop varieties including local germplasm and improved crop varieties of pulses (black  gram,  green  gram,  pigeonpea,  chickpea)  and  cereals  (rice,  wheat,  etc.)  for  major abiotic stresses like drought and heat to identify superior cultivars for cultivation on farmers' fields.

Government  of  India  is  also  implementing  'Rainfed  Area  Development  (RAD)' scheme as a component of National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA) to promote Integrated Farming System (IFS) for enhancing productivity and minimizing risks associated with climatic variability.

Further, the Government of Andhra Pradesh has established Price Stabilization Fund (PSF) of Rs.3,000 crores (Rupees Three thousand crores only) every year.

The Government of Andhra Pradesh has also brought out recently a new agriculture commodities  procurement  policy  which  aims  at  establishing  permanent  procurement centres  for  various  commodities.  The  government  has  also  created  a  new  dedicated  toll free number 1907 for redressing farmer's grievances.

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