Lok Sabha Question No. 1348 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2021-07-27
Subject: Promoting to Natural Farming
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Satya Pal Singh

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

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1348

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 27 Th  JULY, 2021

## PROMOTING TO NATURAL FARMING

1348. DR. SATYAPAL SINGH:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  is  promoting  natural  farming  as  chemicals-free  farming including the State-wise details of States covered under natural farming;
- (b) whether the Government has started a new programme for authentication of default organic areas like remote areas, hilly areas and island which will save the time required for modification including the details thereof;
- (c) whether  the  Government  has  taken  any  initiative  to  provide  assistance  to  the individual farmers for organic authentication which is not a part of existing organic scheme; and
- (d) if so, the details of the norms for receiving the assistance?

## ANSWER

(SHRI NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR)

MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ष एवं कसान कयाण मंी

- (a) & (b): Government has been implementing Bhartiya Prakritik Krishi Padhati (BPKP) as  a  sub  scheme  of  Paramparagat  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (PKVY)  since  2020-21  for  the promotion of traditional indigenous practices. The scheme mainly emphasizes on exclusion of all synthetic chemical inputs and promotes on-farm biomass recycling with major stress on biomass mulching; use of cow dung-urine formulations; plant-based preparations and time to time  working  of  soil  for  aeration.  Under  BPKP,  financial  assistance  of  Rs  12200/ha  for  3 years  is  provided  for  cluster  formation,  capacity  building  and  continuous  handholding  by trained personnel, certification and residue analysis.

As of now, an area of 4.09 lakh ha is covered in 8 states and Rs. 4980.99 lakh has been released.  The State -wise details of area covered and funds released under BPKP is given at Annexure - I.

Government has initiated Large Area Certification (LAC) programme since 2020-21 to certify large tradional/default organic areas such as hills, islands, tribal or desert belt with no past  history  of  GMO  and  agro  chemical  uses.  Entire  certification  process  gets  completed within 3-6 months time. This   reduces the conversion period from 2-3 years to few months and  allows  farmers  for  marketing  of  their  produce  at  premium  prices.      Car  Nicobar  and Nancowry group of Island under the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands with 14,491 ha cultivable area is the first Large Contiguous Area declared as certified organic. Government of India have already sanctioned and released Rs 11.48 lakh to Union Territory of Ladakh for LAC.

(c) & (d): Government  has  initiated programme  to  provide financial assistance to individual  farmers  with  8.0  or  more  hectare  land  @  2700/ha  for  3  years  for  Participatory Guarantee System (PGS) certification through Regional Council or National Programme for Organic Production (NPOP) certification.

## The State -wise details of funds released under BPKP

| Sl. No.   | States           |   Area in Ha |   Amount released (Rs in lakh) |
|-----------|------------------|--------------|--------------------------------|
| 1.        | Andhra Pradesh   |       100000 |                         750    |
| 2.        | Chhattisgarh     |        85000 |                        1352.52 |
| 3.        | Kerala           |        84000 |                        1336.6  |
| 4.        | Himachal Pradesh |        12000 |                         286.42 |
| 5         | Jharkhand        |         3400 |                          54.1  |
| 6.        | Odisha           |        24000 |                         381.89 |
| 7.        | Madhya Pradesh   |        99000 |                         787.64 |
| 8.        | Tamil Nadu       |         2000 |                          31.82 |
| Total     | Total            |       409400 |                        4980.99 |

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