Lok Sabha Question No. 4175 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-29
Subject: Measures to Promote Crop Diversification
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Sisir Kumar Adhikari

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4175

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 29 TH MARCH, 2022

## MEASURES TO PROMOTE CROP DIVERSIFICATION

4175.  SHRISISIR KUMAR ADHIKARI:

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

- (a) the details of the measures being taken to promote crop-diversification in the light of  ground-water level depletion caused by the current overproduction of water-intensive crops like rice, wheat and sugarcane;
- (b) the reasons for no budgetary allocation toward 'Promotion of Agricultural Mechanization  for  In-situ  Management  of  Crop  Residue'  in  the  Union  Budget  for  the Financial Year 2023; and
- (c) theother measures being taken by the Government for sustainable management of paddy stubble given that 5-7% co-firing of bio-mass pellets in thermal power plants will only reduce carbon dioxide and other emissions by less than 10%?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी

(SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

- (a) : TheDepartment  of  Agriculture  &  Farmers  Welfare  (DA&FW)  is  implementing  the Crop Diversification Programme (CDP), a sub-scheme of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) in the Original  Green  Revolution States  viz;  Haryana, Punjab  & Western Uttar Pradesh  since  2013-14  to  divert  the  area  of  water  intensive  paddy  crop  to  alternative crops like pulses, oilseeds, coarse cereals, nutri cereals, cotton etc.

In  addition,  Government  of  India  is  also  supplementing  the  efforts  of  state governments to encourage diversified production of crops such as pulses, coarse cereals, nutri  cereals,  cotton  &  oilseeds  under  National  Food  Security  Mission  (NFSM)  and horticultural  crops  under  Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of  Horticulture  (MIDH). Government of India also provide flexibility to the states for state specific needs/priorities under RKVY. The state can promote crop diversification under RKVY with the approval of State Level Sanctioning Committee (SLSC) headed by Chief Secretary of the State.

(b) &  (c):          The  Government  is  implementing  a  Scheme  on 'Promotion  of  Agricultural Mechanization for In-Situ Management of Crop Residue in the States of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar  Pradesh  and National  Capital  Territory (NCT)  of Delhi'during  2021-22. At present the Government has approved the continuation of scheme upto 30th September, 2022 during  2022-23.  Under  the  scheme,  financial  assistance  is  provided  to  the  farmers  for purchase  of  identified  crop  residue  management  machinery  and  to  the  Cooperative Societies  of  Farmers,  Farmers  Producers  Organization  (FPOs),  Registered  Farmers Societies  and  Panchayats  for  establishment  of  Custom  Hiring  Centers  (CHCs)  of identified crop residue management machinery. Financial assistance is also provided to the  State  Governments,  Krishi  Vigyan  Kendras  (KVKs),  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural Research (ICAR) Institutions, Central Government Institutions, Public Sector Undertakings (PSUs) etc. for Information, Education and Communication (IEC) activities for creating awareness  on crop residue management. The  ICAR  has  developed PusaDecomposer,  a  microbial  consortium  of  fungalspecies  (both  in  liquid  and  capsule forms)for  rapid  decomposition  of  paddy  straw.  Use  of  this  consortium  accelerates processofpaddy straw decomposition in the field itself.

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