Lok Sabha Question No. 4091 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-03-25
Subject: Agricultural Productivity in West Bengal
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Jagannath Sarkar

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 4091

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 25 TH  MARCH, 2025

## AGRICULTURAL PRODUCTIVITY IN WEST BENGAL

4091. SHRI JAGANNATH SARKAR:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state:

(a)  the  current  status  of  agricultural  productivity  in  West  Bengal  and  the  key  crops contributing to the State's economy; (b)  the  initiatives  undertaken  to  support  farmers,  including  access  to  credit,  modern farming techniques and irrigation facilities; (c)  the progress of rural development programmes aimed at improving infrastructure, education and healthcare in agricultural communities; and (d)  the  measures  being  taken  to  ensure  sustainable  farming  practices  and  address challenges such as climate change and pest management?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण राǛ मंũी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)

(a):  The  current status  of agricultural  productivity in West Bengal  and the key crops contributing to the State's economy is given at Annexure.

(b):  The  following  initiatives  are  undertaken  by  the  Government  of  India  to  support farmers, including access to credit, modern farming techniques and irrigation facilities:

1. National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM)
2. National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oil Palm
3. National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oilseeds
4. National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture (NMSA)
5. National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF)
6. Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
7. Soil Health & Fertility (SH&F)
8. Rainfed Area Development (RAD)
9. Agroforestry
10. Crop Diversification Programme (CDP)
11. Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE)
12. Sub-Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP)
13. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)
14. National Bamboo Mission
15. National Bee Keeping and Honey Mission (NBHM)
16. Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region
17. Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)
18. Integrated Scheme for Agriculture Marketing (ISAM)
19. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)
20. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY)
21. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)/ Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS)
22. Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)
23. Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS)
24. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)
25. Formation and Promotion of 10,000 new Farmer Producers Organizations (FPOs)
26. Namo Drone Didi
27. Agri Fund for Start-Ups & Rural Enterprises (AgriSURE)
28. Sub-Mission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM)
29. Digital Agriculture Mission

(c):  The Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD) has adopted multi-pronged strategies to  improve the  economic well-being of people in rural areas with the main focus on increasing livelihood opportunities, infrastructure development, providing social safety net, skilling of rural youth, etc. through its Programmes in rural areas of the country. In this regard, the Government is implementing a number of targeted programmes such as  Mahatma  Gandhi  National  Rural  Employment  Guarantee  Scheme  (MGNREGS), Pradhan Mantri AwaasYojana-Gramin (PMAYG), Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana (PMGSY), Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAYNRLM), Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Grameen Kaushalya Yojana (DDUGKY), Rural Self Employment Training Institutes(RSETIs) and National Social Assistance Programme (NSAP) and Watershed Development Component (WDC) of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (WDC-PMKSY)

For facilitating basic education in the country including rural areas, the Ministry of Education  is  implementing  Samagra  Shiksha  -  an  integrated  Scheme  for  school education from 2018-19, an overarching programme for the school education sector extending from pre-school to class XII and aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education across the country including rural areas.

For ensuring health services in rural areas, under National Health Mission (NHM) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW), steps have been taken towards universal health coverage by supporting the State Government in providing improved health infrastructure, adequate human  resources in health facilities, improved availability and accessibility to quality health care especially for the underserved and marginalized groups in rural areas.

Under National Health Mission, through Ayushman Arogya Mandir, comprehensive primary  healthcare  is  provided  by  strengthening  Sub  Health  Centres  (SHCs)  and Primary  Health  Centres  (PHCs).  The  MoH&FW  supports  'Free  Diagnostics  Service Initiative' programme under NHM. To ensure availability of essential drugs and reduce the Out-of-Pocket Expenditure (OoPE) of the patients visiting the public health facilities, the Government has rolled out the Free Drugs Service Initiative under NHM.

(d):  The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is implementing Centrally Sponsored Scheme of Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) from 2015-16 onwards. PDMC focuses on enhancing  water-use  efficiency  at  farm-level  through  Micro  Irrigation  viz.  Drip  and Sprinkler  Irrigation  Systems.  The  Micro  Irrigation  helps  in  saving  water  as  well  as reduced fertilizer usage (through fertigation), labour expenses, other input costs and thereby,  creating  overall  income  enhancement  of  farmers.  Further,  NITI  Aayog conducted an evaluation study on PDMC scheme during the year 2021, which revealed that productivity increased in the range of 9% to 100% for various crops in different States through adoption of micro irrigation.

Further, The Indian Council of Agricultural Research is focusing on the development of high yielding climate resilient and nutritionally rich field crop varieties along with the location specific production and protection technologies. Developed improved varieties, production and protection technologies are being disseminated among farmers for large scale adoption through outreach activities viz., training/sensitization programmes during the crop season, on-farm trials & frontline demonstrations, diagnostic field visits and field friends programmes as well as through social media platforms

In  order  to  address  climate  change  challenges  in  agriculture  and  the  strain  on natural  resources,  537  extreme  climate  tolerant  varieties  have  been  developed  and notified  for  commercial  cultivation  during  past  ten  years  (2014-24)  out  of  which  318 varieties are drought tolerant/moisture stress tolerant/water stress tolerant/limited water tolerant/low  rainfall;  81  flood/submergence/water  logging/  deep  water  tolerant;  69 salinity /moderate salinity/alkalinity/sodic soils tolerant; 51 heat stress /high temperature tolerant and 18 Cold /frost/winter chilling tolerant.

The current status of agricultural productivity in West Bengal and the key crops contributing to the State's economy

| Crop               | Season       | Yield (Kg/Ha) 2023-24   |
|--------------------|--------------|-------------------------|
|                    | Kharif       | 2874                    |
| Rice               | Summer       | 3617                    |
| Rice               | Total        | 3064                    |
| Jute               | Kharif       | 2894                    |
| Maize              | Kharif       | 3974                    |
| Maize              | Rabi         | 6872                    |
| Maize              | Summer Total | 7239 6633               |
| Sugarcane          | Kharif       | 66583                   |
| Rapeseed & Mustard | Rabi         | 1244                    |
| Wheat              | Rabi         | 3127                    |
|                    | Kharif       | 1560                    |
| Groundnut          | Rabi         | 1902                    |
| Groundnut          | Summer       | 3280                    |
| Groundnut          | Total        | 3060                    |
| Mesta              | Kharif       | 2448                    |
| Lentil             | Rabi         | 913                     |
|                    | Kharif       | 683                     |
| Other Pulses       | Rabi         | 1191                    |
|                    | Total        | 1188                    |
| Gram               | Rabi         | 1242                    |
|                    | Kharif       | 737                     |
| Urad               | Rabi         | 791                     |

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