Lok Sabha Question No. 4393 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2023-03-28
Subject: Overcoming Agriculture Challenges
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Parbatbhai Savabhai Patel, Riti Pathak, Pradeep Kumar Singh, Geeta Kora

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4393

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 28 TH  MARCH, 2023

## OVERCOMING AGRICUTLURE CHALLENGES

4393.  SHRI PARBATBHAI SAVABHAI PATEL: SHRIMATI RITI PATHAK: SHRI PRADEEP KUMAR SINGH: SHRIMATI GEETA KORA:

Will  the  Minister  of  AGRICULTURE  AND  FARMERS  WELFARE क ृ षि एवं षकसान कल् याण मंत्री be pleased to state:

- (a) the names of the schemes on which the Government is working to overcome the challenges like cultivation of costlier crops, crops diversification and elimination of middlemen in produce sales;
- (b) the current number of Agri Start-ups in the country and the number of Agri Startups likely to be set up in the next three years along with the data related to States of Jharkhand, Gujarat and Bihar; and
- (c)  the  works  being  done  by  the  Government  to  attract  more  youths  towards  the agriculture sector?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

क ृ षि एवं षकसान कल् याण मंत्री (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

(a)  Government  is  implementing  a  number  of  schemes  for  the  well-being  of  the farmers,  including  small  farmers.  These  include,  inter  alia,  Pradhan  Mantri  Kisan Samman  Nidhi  (PM-KISAN),  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  Sinchayee  Yojana  (PMKSY), Soil Health Card (SHC), National Agriculture Market (e-NAM), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima  Yojana  (PMFBY),  Pradhan  Matri  Kisan  Maan-Dhan  Yojana  (PMKMY), National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Kisan Credit Card (KCC), Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA), Mission for Integrated Development  of  Horticulture (MIDH), Rashtriya Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (RKVY), Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA), Rainfed Area Development (RAD)  Programme  under  National  Mission  for  Sustainable  Agriculture  (NMSA),

Scheme for promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), National Bee Keeping Honey Mission (NBHM), Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) etc. (b)  The  Department  of  Agriculture  &  Farmers'  Welfare  (DA&FW)  is  implementing 'Innovation  and  Agri-Entrepreneurship  Development'  programme  under  Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) from 2018-19 with an objective to promote innovation and agri-entrepreneurship by providing financial support and nurturing an incubation ecosystem in the country. Five Knowledge Partners (KPs) and twenty-four RKVYAgribusiness  Incubators  (R-ABIs)  have  been  appointed  by  this  Department  for incubation  of  startups  and  implementation  of  this  programme  across  the  country during 2018-19. Under the programme, a selected startup for idea/pre-seed category is provided a maximum financial support of Rs. Five lakh. Similarly, a  selected startup for seed stage category is provided maximum financial assistance of Rs. Twenty-five lakh. The selected startups are trained and incubated and provided technical support at various  incubation  centers  established  under  the  programme  across  the  country. The funds are released to these 29 appointed incubation centres for setting up and promotion  of  agri-startups.    So  far,  a  total  of  1138  agri  startups  have  been supported under the programme with financial assistance of Rs. 70.30 crores.

(c)  Department  of  Agricultural  Research  and  Education  (DARE)  through  Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) implements the following schemes/programmes  to  attract youth towards agriculture and other related industries and for the development of entrepreneurship:

- i.  Technology Assessment and Demonstration for its Application and Capacity Development through Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs).
- ii.  Attracting and Retaining Youth in Agriculture (ARYA)

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