Lok Sabha Question No. 2729 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-02
Subject: Alternatives for Tobacco Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Kirit Premjibhai Solanki, M. Selvaraj

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2729

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 2 ND  AUGUST, 2022

## ALTERNATIVES FOR TOBACCO FARMERS

2729.  DR. (PROF.) KIRIT PREMJIBHAI SOLANKI: SHRI M. SELVARAJ:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

- a) whether there is any development scheme for promoting tobacco crop alternatives for tobacco farmers currently;
- b) if  so,  the  budget  allocated for  the  same for the  last five  years including the States covered;
- c) the  details  of  the  acres  of  land  shifted  from  tobacco  farming  and  these  alternative crops; and
- d) the  details  of  the  kind  of  institutional,  monetary  and  regulatory  support  given  by various  Ministries  of  the  Central  and  State  Governments  for  the  tobacco  farmers  for alternate cropping and/ or for alternate livelihood?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण मंत्री (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) The  Department  of  Agriculture  &  Farmers  Welfare  (DA&FW)  has  been implementing  Crop  Diversification  Programme  (CDP),  a  sub-scheme  of  Rashtriya  Krishi Vikas  Yojana  (RKVY),  in  10  tobacco  growing  states  of  Andhra  Pradesh,  Bihar,  Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal to  encourage  farmers  to  shift  to  alternative  crops/cropping  system  since  2015-16.  Under CDP,  tobacco  growing  states  have  been  given  the  flexibility  to  take  suitable  activities  / interventions to shift from tobacco crops to alternative agricultural / horticultural crops.

(b) For  implementation  of  the  scheme  in  10  tobacco  growing  states  namely  Andhra Pradesh,  Bihar,  Gujarat,  Karnataka,  Maharashtra,  Odisha,  Tamil  Nadu,  Telangana,  Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal, the central share of Rs. 667.00 lakh, 667.00 lakh, 667.00 lakh, 1000.00 lakh and 1000.00 lakh were allocated during the year 2017-18, 2018-19, 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22, respectively.

(c) A total of 111889 acres land has been shifted from tobacco farming during last five years i.e. 2017-18 to 2021-22 to other alternative crops/cropping system. (d) In addition to CDP, the Government of India is also providing flexibility to the states for state specific needs/priorities under RKVY  and  the States can promote crop diversification under RKVY with the approval of State Level Sanctioning Committee (SLSC) headed by Chief Secretary of the  respective states. The DA&FW also implement various crop development programmes such as the National Food Security Mission on Rice, Wheat, Pulses,  Nutri  Cereals,  Coarse  Cereals,  Oilseeds  and  Commercial  Crops  (Cotton,  Jute  & Sugarcane), Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) etc. for promotion of agricultural / horticultural crops.

ICARCentral Tobacco Research Institute, Rajahmundry has recommended alternative cropping system to the states for replacing tobacco.

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