Lok Sabha Question No. 4313 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-03-29
Subject: Classification of Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: R.K. Singh Patel

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.4313 TO BE ANSWERED ON 29 TH  MARCH, 2022

## CLASSIFICATION OF FARMERS

4313.SHRI R.K. SINGH PATEL:

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

(a)    whether  the  Government  has  classified  the  farmers  into  the  small,  marginal, persons living Below Poverty Line (BPL) and the farmers relating to Other Backward Class (OBC) and if so, the details thereof;

(b) whether the average size of the agricultural land holdingis small and marginal and it is also not remunerative  to the farmers;

(c)if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  enhance  their productivity; and

(d)  whether the income from the agriculture sector is not adequate for the eighty five percent  families  of  the  farmersas  per  the  Rural  Development  Report  and  if  so,  the reactions of the Government thereto?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

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

(a): In  Agriculture  Census,  the  operational  holdings  are  categorized  in  five  size classes as given below:

|   S. No. | Category    | Size-Class              |
|----------|-------------|-------------------------|
|        1 | Marginal    | Below 1.00 hectare      |
|        2 | Small       | 1.00 - 2.00 hectare     |
|        3 | Semi-Medium | 2.00 - 4.00 hectare     |
|        4 | Medium      | 4.00 - 10.00 hectare    |
|        5 | Large       | 10.00 hectare and above |

(b)&(c):   As per Agriculture Census 2015-16, average size of the land holdingsin the country was 1.08 hectare. To improve productivity of small and marginal holdings, the Government is promoting adoption of modern technologies and practices like multiple cropping,  intercropping  and  integrated  farming  systems.  Integrated  Farming  System (IFS) models developed for the States have been included in the package of practices of  respective  state  Governments.  These  are  popularized  among  farmers,  including small and marginal farmers, through farmer participatory refinement and demonstration of  integrated  farming  systems.The  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research  (ICAR)  is also  conducting  research  programme  to  develop  location  specific  varieties  and technologies for enhancing the production and productivity of farm holdings.

(d): To  enhance  the  remuneration  of  small  and  marginal  farmers,  Government  is implementing  a  number  of  Schemes  like  Pradhan  Mantri  Krishi  SinchayeeYojana (PMKSY), Pradhan MantriKisanSammanNidhi (PM-KISAN), Pradhan MantriAnnadataAaySanrakshanAbhiyan (PM-AASHA), Paramparagat Krishi VikasYojana  (PKVY),  Soil  Health  Card  (SHC),  Rainfed  Area  Development  (RAD) Programme under National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA), Neem Coated Urea, Pradhan MantriFasalBimaYojana (PMFBY), National Agriculture Market Scheme (e-NAM), National Food Security Mission (NFSM), Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH), Rashtriya Krishi VikasYojana (RKVY), Scheme for promotion of 10,000  Farmer  Producer  Organizations  (FPOs),  Implementation  of  National  Bee Keeping  Honey  Mission  (NBHM),  Interest  Subvention  Scheme  by  providing  Kisan Credit Card(KCC), Agri Infrastructure Fund (AIF) etc.

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