Lok Sabha Question No. 1280 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-07-30
Subject: Farmers Issues
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Dr. Dharamvira Gandhi

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1280

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 30 TH   JULY, 2024

## FARMERS ISSUES

1280.    DR. DHARAMVIRA GANDHI:

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

- (a) whether  the  Government  plans  to  open  the  border  by  engaging  and  meeting  the demands of the farmers protesting at the Shambhu and Khanauri on the Punjab & Haryana border;
- (b) the status of doubling farmers' income by 2022 in Uttar Pradesh;
- (c) whether  the  Government  plans  to  implement  the  C2+50%  formula  on  MSP  as recommended by the Swaminathan Commission; and
- (d) whether the Government intends to legalize MSP for all farm produced, If so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

क ृ िष एवं िकसान

कʞाण राǛ मंũी (SHRI RAMNTATH THAKUR)

- (a): The Union Government takes appropriate measures as and when situations arise. However, maintaining law & order is a subject matter of State Government.
- (b): Government had constituted an Inter-Ministerial Committee in April, 2016 to examine issues  relating  to  'Doubling  of  Farmers  Income  (DFI)'  and  recommend  strategies  to achieve  the  same.  The  Committee  submitted  its  final  report  to  the  Government  in September, 2018 containing the recommendations for doubling of farmers' income through various  policies,  reforms  &  programmes.  To  achieve  the  objective,  the  Committee identified following seven sources of income growth:
- i. Increase in crop productivity
- ii. Increase in livestock productivity
- iii. Resource use efficiency - reduction in cost of production
- iv. Increase in cropping intensity
- v. Diversification to high value agriculture
- vi. Remunerative prices on farmers' produce
- vii. Shift of surplus manpower from farm to non-farm occupations

Agriculture being a State Subject, the State  Governments  take  appropriate measures  for  development  of  agriculture  in  the  State.  However,  Government  of  India supplements the efforts of States through appropriate policy measures, budgetary support and various schemes/programmes. The various schemes/ programmes of the Government of  India  are  meant  for  the  welfare  of  farmers  by  increasing  production,  remunerative returns and income support to farmers. The Government has substantially enhanced the budget allocation of Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare from Rs.27,662.67 crore BE during 2013-14 to Rs.1,25,035.79 crore BE  during  2023-24.  Enhanced  budgetary provisions have been made to facilitate the below mentioned efforts of the Government. The various schemes/ programmes of the Government of India are meant for the welfare of farmers by increasing production, remunerative returns and income support to farmers, which include:

1. Income support to farmers through PM KISAN
2. Pradhan Mantri Fasal BimaYojana (PMFBY)
3. Institutional credit for agriculture sector
4. Fixing  of  Minimum  Support  Price  (MSP)  at  one-and-a  half  times  the  cost  of production
5. Promotion of organic farming in the country
6. Per Drop More Crop
7. Micro Irrigation Fund
8. Promotion of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs)
9. National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM)
10.  Agricultural Mechanization
11.  Namo Drone Didi
12.  Providing Soil Health Cards to farmers
13. 2)
1. Setting up of National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) extension Platform
2. Launch of the National Mission for Edible Oils - Oil Palm (NMEO-OP)
3. Agri Infrastructure Fund (AIF)
4. Improvement in farm produce logistics, Introduction of Kisan Rail
5. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) - Cluster Development Programme
6. Creation of a Start-up Eco system in agriculture and allied sector
7. Achievement in Export of Agri and Allied Agri- Commodities

(c) & (d):   The Government is committed that the full benefits of MSP reach the farmers of the  country.  Hence,  a  committee  has  been  constituted  on  12 th   July,  2022,  by  the government  to  provide  MSP  to  the  farmers  of  the  country  and  to  give  suggestions  on making the system more effective and transparent. Additionally, the Committee was asked to  examine  the  feasibility  of  giving  greater  autonomy  to  the  Commission  for  Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and ways to make it more scientific; and with a view to ensuring higher  prices,  mandate  has  also  been  given  to  give  suggestions  for  strengthening  the agricultural marketing system as per the changing needs of the country. This committee is also working on the topics of natural farming and crop diversification.

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