Lok Sabha Question No. 1974 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-11
Subject: Promotion of Soilless Agriculture
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Vishnu Dayal Ram

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1974

TO BE ANSWERED ON 11 TH  MARCH, 2025

## PROMOTION OF SOILLESS AGRICULTURE

## 1974: SHRI VISHNU DAYAL RAM :

Will     the     Minister     of      AGRICULTURE     AND     FARMERS     WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी be pleased to state: (a)  whether  the  Government  has  introduced  any  financial  assistance,  subsidies  or incentives  to  promote  soilless  agriculture  such  as  hydroponics,  aeroponics  and aquaponics; (b) if so, the details thereof, including eligibility criteria and disbursement mechanisms; and

- (c) if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण राÏय मंğी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

- (a)  &  (b):  Government  is  implementing  Mission  for  Integrated  Development  of Horticulture  (MIDH),  a  Centrally  Sponsored  Scheme  for  holistic  growth  of  the horticulture  sector  covering  fruits,  vegetables,  root  and  tuber  crops,  mushrooms, spices, flowers, aromatic and medicinal plants, coconut, cashew, cocoa and bamboo. All States and UTs are covered under MIDH.

Under  the  revised  guidelines  of  MIDH  scheme,  provision  has  been  made  for providing  assistance  to  promote  soilless  agriculture  such  as  hydroponics  and aeroponics. Details of cost norms alongwith the pattern of assistance are as under:

|   S. No. | Name of the Component      | Cost Norms                                                                                                                                                             | Pattern of Assistance                                                                                   |
|----------|----------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
|        1 | Hydroponics and Aeroponics | Rs. 350/- per Sq.mt. Above rates will be 15%higher in the case of NE & Himalayan States, Scheduled areas, vibrant villages, Andaman & Nicobar and Lakshadweep Islands. | Assistance @ 50% for a maximum area of 1000 sqm per beneficiary or on pro-rata basis for smaller areas. |

Government is also implementing Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) with an objective to address the existing gaps in post-harvest management infrastructure in the country. AIF provides concessional loans through lending institutions, capped at an interest rate of 9%, with an additional 3% interest subvention for loans up to 2 crore. The AIF also supports precision farming and modern agricultural practices, including soilless cultivation techniques such as hydroponics and aeroponics.

Eligible beneficiaries under the AIF Scheme include Farmers, Agrientrepreneurs,  Start-ups,  Primary  Agricultural  Credit  Societies  (PACS),  Marketing Cooperative  Societies,  Farmer  Producers  Organizations(FPOs),  Self  Help  Group (SHG), Joint Liability Groups (JLG), Multipurpose Cooperative Societies, Central/State agency or Local Body sponsored Public Private Partnership Projects, State Agencies, Agricultural  Produce  Market  Committees (APMC),  National  &  State  Federations  of Cooperatives,  Farmer  Produce  Organizations  (FPO),  Federations  of  FPOs  and Federations  of  Self  Help  Groups  (SHGs).  Eligible  beneficiaries  need  to  maintain minimum of 10% of the project cost as promoter's contribution for the project.

Apart from the above, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR)- Institutes and Universities are engaged in development and standardization of technologies for Hydroponics and Aeroponics for different regions of the country. ICAR- Indian Institute of Horticultural Research (IIHR), Bangalore, ICAR- Central Potato Research Institute (CPRI),  Shimla  and  ICAR-  Central  Institute  for  Subtropical  Horticulture  (CISH), Lucknow  are  providing  trainings  and  demonstrations  to  interested  stakeholders  to create awareness  among  farmers  for  adoption of  Hydroponic  &  Aeroponics. Agriculture/ Horticulture Universities are also educating farmers about the benefits of these technologies in water scares areas of the country.

(c) Does not arise

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