Lok Sabha Question No. 370 (STARRED), answered on 2025-08-19
Subject: Promotion of Agricultural Diversification
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Dr. Shivaji Bandappa Kalge, Shri Gyaneshwar Patil

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 370

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 19 TH  AUGUST, 2025

## PROMOTION OF AGRICULTURAL DIVERSIFICATION

## *370.  DR. SHIVAJI BANDAPPA KALGE SHRI GYANESHWAR PATIL

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE be pleased to state:

- (a) the  latest  technologies  and  practices  being  promoted  by  the  Government  to increase agricultural production and productivity in various States of the country;
- (b) whether  the  Government  is  taking  any  steps  to  encourage  diversification  in agriculture particularly to promote less water intensive crops and horticulture;
- (c) if so, the details thereof in the States of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, city-wise; and
- (d) the details of plans to promote organic farming in the States of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli, district-wise?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी (SHRI SHIVRAJ SINGH CHOUHAN)

- (a) to (d): A statement is laid on the Table of the House.

## STATEMENT REFERRED TO IN RESPECT OF PARTS (a) TO (d) OF THE LOK SABHA STARRED QUESTION NO. 370 FOR 19 TH  AUGUST, 2025 REGARDING 'PROMOTION OF AGRICULTURAL DIVERSIFICATION'.

(a): The Government of India is implementing several key schemes in the Agriculture sector to promote latest varieties, technologies and practices to increase production  and  productivity  in  the  country.  Indian  Council  of  Agricultural  Research (ICAR) have developed, released and notified a total of 3053 field crop varieties from the year 2014. ICAR is at the forefront in sharing innovations/best practices in areas including  climate-resilient  agriculture,  crop  diversification,  Soil  Health  Management and  precision  farming.  The  Digital  Agriculture  Mission,  is  a  major  initiative  that leverages technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, and geospatial data for better crop monitoring, soil management, and weather forecasting.

(b) & (c): The Department  of Agriculture & Farmers  Welfare  (DA&FW)  is implementing the Crop Diversification Programme (CDP) under the Pradhan MantriRashtriya Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (PM-RKVY) through  State Governments to primarily divert the area of water intensive crop paddy to alternative crops like pulses, oilseeds, coarse cereals, nutri-cereals, cotton.

The Government of India is also encouraging and supporting farmers through the state governments, including Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, to grow crops such as pulses, coarse cereals, nutri cereals (Shree Anna) under the National Food Security  & Nutrition  Mission (NFSNM) and  oilseeds under the National  Mission on Edible Oil (NMEO)-Oilseeds. In addition, the procurement of pulses and oilseeds is made at MSP under the Pradhan Mantri- Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan (PMAASHA) scheme of DA&FW. In order to enhance the domestic production of Tur, Urad and  Masur,  100  percent  procurement  under  Price  Support  Scheme  (PSS)  of  PMAASHA  scheme  is  being  sanctioned  since  2023-24.    The  Mission  for  Integrated Development  of  Horticulture  (MIDH)  also  promotes  horticulture  crops  for  holistic growth  of  the  sector  in  the  country  and  this  scheme  covers  states/UTs  including Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and UT of Dadra and Nagar Haveli.

(d): Organic farming is being promoted through Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)  in  all  the  States/UTs  including  Madhya  Pradesh,  Maharashtra  and  UT  of Dadar and  Nagar  Haveli  since  2015-16  except  North  Eastern  States  and  Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region (MOVCDNER) for the North Eastern States. Both schemes stress on end-to-end support to farmers engaged in  organic  farming  i.e.  from  production  to  processing,  certification  and  marketing. Primary focus of the schemes is to form organic clusters, with preference to small and marginal farmers, to create a supply chain. The details of number of clusters and area covered under PKVY in the state of Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and UT of Dadar and Nagar Haveli since 2015-16 (as on 30.06.2025) are as under:

| State/UT               |   No. of Clusters | Area (Hectares)   |
|------------------------|-------------------|-------------------|
| Madhya Pradesh         |              3868 | 74,960            |
| Maharashtra            |              2978 | 66,756            |
| Dadar and Nagar Haveli |                25 | 500               |

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