Lok Sabha Question No. 3299 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-21
Subject: Increase in Landless Agricultural Workers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Goddeti Madhavi

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 3299

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 21 ST  MARCH, 2023

## INCREASE IN LANDLESS AGRICULTURAL WORKERS

3299. SHRIMATI GODDETI MADHAVI:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  is  aware  that  number  of  landless  agricultural  workers  and farm  labourers  has  steadily  increased  from  106.7  million  in  2001  to  144.3  million  in 2011;
- (b)   if  so,  the  estimated  number  of  landless  agricultural  workers  and  farm  labourers currently present in the country;
- (c)  whether the Government has created any pension scheme specifically for agricultural workers and farm labourers other than PM Shram Yogi Maan Dhan Yojana; and
- (d)  if  so, the details thereof and if not, the measures proposed for the welfare of the said category of people?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ षि एवं ककसान कल्याण मंत्री (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) & (b):    No specific census/survey of landless agricultural workers and farm labourer has been conducted and as such the exact number of landless agricultural  workers and farm labourer  in  the  country  is  not  available.  However,  details  of  wholly  leased-in  operational holdings in the country as per Agriculture Census 2015-16 is given in the Annexure.
- (c) & (d): Agriculture being a State subject, the State Governments undertake implementation  of  Agricultural  schemes/programmes  for  the  development  of  the  sector.

Government  of  India  also  supplements  these  efforts  through  implementation  of  various central sector/centrally sponsored schemes/programmes.

In order to provide old age protection, the Government of India launched Pradhan Mantri  Shram  Yogi  Maan-Dhan  (PM-SYM)  pension  scheme  in  2019  for  the  unorganised workers including agricultural workers and farm labourers. It provides monthly pension of Rs. 3000/- after attaining the age of 60 years. The workers in the age group of 18-40 years, whose monthly income is Rs. 15000/- or less and not a member of EPFO/ ESIC/NPS (Govt. funded)  can  join  the  PM-SYM  Scheme.  Under  this  scheme  50%  monthly  contribution  is payable  by  the  beneficiary  and  equal  matching  contribution  is  paid  by  the  Central Government. Under the scheme, the funds towards Government's contribution is provided to LIC being the fund manager.

Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is implementing various schemes for the benefit of farmers including landless farmers in the country. Through  Kisan Credit Card(KCC) scheme, the Government is providing short term agri credit upto Rs. 3 lakh at subsidized  rate  of  interest  (4%  per  annum  on  timely  repayment  of  loan)  to  all  farmers including  sharecroppers  and  tenant  farmers.  Such  farmers  are  also  entitled  for  coverage under crop insurance schemes with benefit of subsidy in premium. States have to prescribe the modalities for enabling such farmers to avail credit and crop insurance. Further, farmers can avail of loan upto Rs. 1.6 lakh without any collateral. Landless and tenant farmers/artisans  can  also  avail  collateral-free  institutional  credit  by  forming  Joint  Liability Groups  (JLGs),  which  is  a  medium  for  financing  landless  farmers,  tenant  farmers, sharecroppers and oral lessees.

Apart from above, other schemes such as Public Distribution System through One Nation One Ration Card scheme under National Food Security Act, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gramin Kaushal Yojana, Pradhan  Mantri  Awas  Yojana,  Gareeb  Kalyan  Rojgar  Abhiyan,  Mahatma  Gandhi  Bunkar Bima Yojana, Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana, PMSVANidhi, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana , etc. are also available for agricultural workers and farm labourers depending upon their eligibility criteria.

Annexure referred in reply to part (a) to (b) of Lok  Sabha Unstarred Q.No.3299 due for 21.03.2023

| S.No.     | States            | No. Of Wholly Leased-in holdings (in absolute number)   |   No. Of Wholly Leased-in holdings (in absolute number) |
|-----------|-------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------|
| 1         | A&N Island        |                                                         |                                                      12 |
| 2         | Andhra Pradesh    |                                                         |                                                   30445 |
| 3         | Arunachal Pradesh |                                                         |                                                       0 |
| 4         | Assam             |                                                         |                                                    3012 |
| 5         | Bihar             |                                                         |                                                    4090 |
| 6         | Chandigarh        |                                                         |                                                       0 |
| 7         | Chhattisgarh      |                                                         |                                                     377 |
| 8         | D&N Haveli        |                                                         |                                                       2 |
| 9         | Daman & Diu       |                                                         |                                                       0 |
| 10        | Delhi             |                                                         |                                                       0 |
| 11        | Goa               |                                                         |                                                    4121 |
| 12        | Gujarat           |                                                         |                                                       0 |
| 13        | Haryana           |                                                         |                                                       0 |
| 14        | Himachal Pradesh  |                                                         |                                                     200 |
| 15        | Jammu & Kashmir   |                                                         |                                                     960 |
| 16        | Jharkhand         |                                                         |                                                    2392 |
| 17        | Karnataka         |                                                         |                                                      98 |
| 18        | Kerala            |                                                         |                                                   21853 |
| 19        | Lakshdweep        |                                                         |                                                       0 |
| 20        | Madhya Pradesh    |                                                         |                                                    8340 |
| 21        | Maharashtra       |                                                         |                                                     776 |
| 22        | Manipur           |                                                         |                                                    6627 |
| 23        | Meghalaya         |                                                         |                                                       0 |
| 24        | Mizoram           |                                                         |                                                       0 |
| 25        | Nagaland          |                                                         |                                                     317 |
| 26        | Odisha            |                                                         |                                                  283071 |
| 27        | Puducherry        |                                                         |                                                     223 |
| 28        | Punjab            |                                                         |                                                    6576 |
| 29        | Rajasthan         |                                                         |                                                    5486 |
| 30        | Sikkim            |                                                         |                                                    1037 |
| 31        | Tamil Nadu        |                                                         |                                                    9899 |
| 32        | Telangana         |                                                         |                                                     763 |
| 33        | Tripura           |                                                         |                                                    1575 |
| 34        | Uttar Pradesh     |                                                         |                                                   21220 |
| 35        | Uttarakhand       |                                                         |                                                     148 |
| 36        | West Bengal       |                                                         |                                                  117665 |
| All India | All India         |                                                         |                                                  531285 |

Source: Agricultural census 2015-16

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