Lok Sabha Question No. 1409 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-07-26
Subject: Losses due to Flood
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Badruddin Ajmal, Pradyut Bordoloi

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.1409

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 26 TH  JULY, 2022

## LOSSES DUE TO FLOOD

## 1409. SHRI M. BADRUDDIN AJMAL: SHRI PRADYUT BORDOLOI:

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

- (a)  whether  the  Government  has  assessed  losses  incurred  by  farmers  in  flood-prone States, including Assam, due to flood and related calamities;
- (b)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  including  hectares  of  cropped  land  and  number  of  farming families affected, State-wise and year-wise from 2011 to 2021;
- (c)  whether  the  Government  is  taking  any  steps  to  provide  economic  relief  to  farming families which are adversely affected by flooding and related calamities in the North East in May and June 2022 and if so, the details thereof;
- (d) whether the Government is taking any steps to improve access and uptake of floodtolerant  varieties  of  rice  grains  such  as  Bahadur  Sub-1  and  Ranjit  Sub-1  and  if  so,  the details thereof;
- (e) whether the Government is taking any measures for the adoption of climate-proofing or  flood-resilient  mechanisms  in  agriculture  in  flood-prone  States  and  if  so,  the  details thereof; and
- (f) whether the Government has any proposal to waive-off agricultural loan of the farmers of Assam and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी (SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) to (c): The estimation of losses incurred by farmers in flood-prone States is done by the concerned State Governments. As per information provided by the States, crop area affected due to hydro-meteorological calamities during the years 2015-16 to 2021-22, is at Annexure.

The  State  Government  is  primarily  responsible  for  providing  necessary  relief measures  in  the  wake  of  natural  calamities,  including  flood.  For  undertaking  relief measures, funds are available  with  the  State  Government  in  the form  of  State  Disaster Response  Fund  (SDRF).  Additional  financial  assistance,  over  and  above  SDRF,  is considered from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) for natural calamities of a severe nature and is approved on the basis of a Memorandum received from the State Government, in accordance with established procedures.  Thereafter, an Inter-Ministerial Central  Team  (IMCT)  is  constituted  and  deputed  for  an  on-the-spot  assessment  of damage and requirement of funds for relief operations, as per the extant items and norms. The  report  of  the  IMCT  is  considered  by  the  Sub  Committee  of  the  National  Executive Committee  (SC-NEC).  Thereafter,  the  High  Level  Committee  (HLC)  approves  the  final quantum of financial assistance.

So  far,  in  2022-23  the  Ministry  of  Home  Affairs  have  constituted  /deputed  InterMinisterial  Central  Teams  (IMCTs)  to  two  North  Eastern  States,  namely,  Assam  and Meghalaya, for assessment of damages on the ground.

(d) & (e): Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed and released 41 water logging tolerant varieties/hybrids of different crops for commercial cultivation during 2014-21.  As  part  of  Technology  Demonstration  Component  of  'National  Innovations  in Climate  Resilient  Agriculture'  (NICRA),  flood  tolerant  varieties  were  demonstrated  in  4 village clusters representing 4 districts of Assam. The demonstrations mainly focused on the  flood  tolerant  varieties  which  could  withstand  submergence  conditions  and  enhance productivity. Several promising rice varieties such as Jalasree, Jalkuwanri, Swarna Sub 1, Ranjit Sub 1, Bahadur Sub1 and varieties suitable for prolonged flooding and deep water conditions  were  demonstrated  in  frequently  flood  prone  regions  of  Assam.   Several trainings were conducted in Assam on various aspects of flood tolerant varieties and other technologies which can minimize the impact of floods.

(f): No, Sir. However,  the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare is implementing 'Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana' since Kharif 2016, along with 'Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme' to provide comprehensive risk cover in the event of crop damage due to natural calamities and preventable risks and provide financial support to the insured farmers against their notified insurance coverage. However, these Insurance Schemes are voluntary in nature.

## Annexure referred to in reply to parts (a) to (c) of the Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No.1409 due for answer on 26.07.2022

Crop area affected due to hydro-meteorological calamities during 2015-16 to 2021-22 (in lakh hectares)

|        |                   | Years   | Years   | Years   | Years   | Years   | Years   | Years   |
|--------|-------------------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|---------|
| S. No. | States            | 2015-16 | 2016-17 | 2017-18 | 2018-19 | 2019-20 | 2020-21 | 2021-22 |
| 1.     | Andhra Pradesh    | 2.17    | 0.48    | 0.45    | 1.67    | -       | 6.81    | 0.38    |
| 2.     | Arunachal Pradesh | 0.14    | 0.235   | 0.41    | 0.007   | -       | 0.28    | 0.02    |
| 3.     | Assam             | 2.86    | 2.82    | 2.80    | 0.31    | 2.00    | 2.67    | 0.10    |
| 4.     | Bihar             | 8.08    | 3.72    | 8.10    | -       | 2.61    | 7.41    | 7.06    |
| 5.     | Chhattisgarh      | --      | 2.98    | --      | -       | 0.018   | -       | -       |
| 6.     | Gujarat           | 2.59    | --      | 6.45    | -       | -       | -       | 1.49    |
| 7.     | Goa               | -       | -       | -       | -       | -       | -       | 0.001   |
| 8.     | Haryana           | -       | -       | -       | -       | -       | -       | -       |
| 9.     | Himachal Pradesh  | 0.13    | 0.20    | 0.80    | 0.45    | -       | 0.24    | 0.06    |
| 10.    | Jharkhand         | -       | -       | -       | -       | -       | -       | -       |
| 11.    | Karnataka         | -       | 3.76    | -       | 3.63    | 9.35    | 14.32   | 11.35   |
| 12.    | Kerala            | -       | 0.017   | 0.078   | 1.00    | 0.36    | -       | 0.85    |
| 13.    | Madhya Pradesh    | -       | -       | -       | -       | 60.47   | 6.68    | 1.06    |
| 14.    | Maharashtra       | -       | 0.15    | -       | -       | 4.17    | 11.28   | 2.41    |
| 15.    | Manipur           | 0.39    | 0.018   | 0.89    | 0.06    | -       | -       | -       |
| 16.    | Meghalaya         | -       | -       | -       | 0.02    | -       | -       | -       |
| 17.    | Mizoram           | -       | -       | 0.11    | -       | -       | -       | -       |
| 18.    | Nagaland          | 0.04    | 0.42    | 0.05    | 0.05    | -       | -       | 0.17    |
| 19.    | Odisha            | -       | -       | 0.42    | 3.90    | 1.49    | 1.80    | 1.82    |
| 20.    | Punjab            | -       | 0.005   | -       | 0.52    | 1.51    | 1.23    | 0.04    |
| 21.    | Rajasthan         | 0.32    | -       | 7.34    | -       | 23.92   | -       | 6.47    |
| 22.    | Sikkim            | -       | 0.018   | 0.02    | -       | -       | 0.02    | 0.02    |
| 23.    | Tamil Nadu        | 3.83    | 0.34    | 0.05    | 1.22    | -       | 4.63    | 0.83    |
| 24.    | Telangana         | -       | 2.59    | -       | -       | -       | 2.39    | -       |
| 25.    | Tripura           | -       | -       | -       | 0.32    | 0.014   | -       | -       |
| 26.    | Uttar Pradesh     | -       | 5.96    | 3.81    | 2.90    | 8.13    | 1.08    | 3.61    |
| 27.    | Uttarakhand       | -       | 0.10    | -       | 0.55    | 0.003   | -       | 0.54    |
| 28.    | West Bengal       | 13.02   | 4.48    | 6.74    | 0.49    | 0.08    | 5.71    | 3.48    |

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