Lok Sabha Question No. 2176 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-15
Subject: Incentives for Green Farming
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Mahua Moitra

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2176

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 15 TH  MARCH, 2022

## INCENTIVES FOR GREEN FARMING

2176. SHRIMATI MAHUA MOITRA:

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

- (a) whether  the Government has announced some incentives for green farming along the Ganges and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether there is  any mechanism to offer these incentives to other parts of the country and if so, the details thereof;
- (c) whether  there  are  some  reports  of  gross  overusage  of  urea  vs  P  and  K  fertilizer thereby damaging the soil, health and any study on the usage/overusage of Urea has been done;
- (d) whether the Government has made any recommendations either for farmers or to the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers in this regard;
- (e) whether  the  Government  is  recommending  that  Nutrient  Based  Subsidy  should  be adopted for Urea like in the case of other fertilizers to safeguard the health and  productivity of the soil and if so, the details thereof; and
- (f) whether the Government has done any study to take soil with fertilizers and convert it to green farming as proposed?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a) to (f): Government is  promoting  non  chemical  farming  under  the  names  of    organic and natural farming through Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana and Bharitya Prakratik  Krishi Padhati along the river Ganga .

The  PKVY  scheme  is  implemented  in  all  the  States  across  the  country.  Under  this scheme,  farmers  are  provided  financial  assistance  of  Rs  31000/  ha  /  3  years  for  organic inputs such as seeds, bio-fertilisers, bio-pesticides, organic manure, compost/ vermi-compost, botanical  extracts  etc.  In  addition,  support  is  also  provided  for  group/  Farmers  Producers Organization  (FPO)  formation,  training,  certification,  value  addition  and  marketing  of  their organic produce.  Under Namami Gange Programme total Rs 120.49 crore fund (Rs 67.36 cr from RKVY & Rs 34.20 cr from PKVY) has been released for 6181 clusters and 123620 ha area covered.

As such, there is no harmful effect of chemical fertilizers on soil health with balanced and judicious use. However, investigations carried out under All India Coordinated Research Project on 'Long Term Fertilizer Experiments' over five decades at fixed sites have indicated that continuous/over use of nitrogenous fertilizer alone had  deleterious effect on soil health and  crop  productivity  showing  deficiencies  of  other  major  and  micro  nutrients.  The  Indian Council  of  Agricultural  Research  is  recommending  soil  test  based  balanced  and  integrated nutrient management through conjunctive use of both inorganic and organic sources (manure, bio-fertilizers  etc.)  of  plant  nutrients  for  judicious  use  of  chemical  fertilizers  to  improve  soil health. In addition, growing leguminous crops and use of Resource Conservation Technologies  (RCTs)  are  also  advocated.  ICAR  imparts  training,  organizes  Front  Line Demonstrations (FLDs) to educate farmers on all these aspects.

Government is promoting Integrated Nutrient Management (INM) which includes soil test  based  balanced  and  integrated  use  of  chemical  fertilizers  in  conjunction  with  organic sources  of  nutrients  like  Farm  Yard  Manure  (FYM),  city  compost,  vermi-compost  and  biofertilizers that leads to saving in use of chemical fertilizers.

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