Lok Sabha Question No. 598 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-06
Subject: Migration from Agriculture
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Rajendra Agrawal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 598

TO BE ANSWERED ON 06 TH  FEBRUARY, 2024

## MIGRATION FROM AGRICULTURE

598. SHRI RAJENDRA AGRAWAL:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE & FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी be pleased to state:-

- (a)  whether the Government is aware that a large number of farmers are leaving their agricultural profession and migrating to cities for jobs as labourers due to unremunerative agriculture sector;
- (b)  if  so,  the  number  of  farmers  who  have  left  their  profession  due  to  unremunerative agriculture during 2021, 2022 and 2023 till date along with the source of information Statewise;
- (c) the reasons for the failure of the Government to make agriculture profitable; and
- (d) the steps taken by the Government to improve the labour productivity?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ ͪष एवं ͩकसान कãयाण मंğी (SHRI ARJUN MUNDA)

- (a) to (d):The shift in workforce from primary (agriculture) sector to secondary and tertiary sectors is a normal phenomenon of the development process experienced by countries across the world and the same is true for India as well. As per Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2021-22and 2022-23 released by the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation  (MoSPI),  the  percentage  of  workers  in  the  usual  status  engaged  in agriculture and allied sector during 2019-20 to 2022-23 is as under:

| Year    |   Distribution of workers in the usual status engaged in agriculture and allied sector (%) |
|---------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| 2019-20 |                                                                                       45.6 |
| 2020-21 |                                                                                       46.5 |
| 2021-22 |                                                                                       45.5 |
| 2022-23 |                                                                                       45.8 |

Source: Annual Reports, Periodic Labour Force Survey, MoSPI. (2019-20 to 2022-23)

Agriculture  is  a  state  subject.  The  Government  of  India  supports  State  Governments through implementation of various Centrally Sponsored/Central Sector Schemes for the benefit of farmers and to ensure the growth & development of the agriculture sector in the country. Several policies, reforms, developmental programmes and schemes have been undertaken  to  increase  the  agriculture  output,  which  would  in  turn  improve  agriculture labour  productivity  and  make  agriculture  profitable.  These  schemes  and  programmes, inter-alia, include the following:

(i) Supplementary income transfers under PM-KISAN of Rs 6,000 per year in three equal instalments;

(ii)  Increase  in  Minimum  Support  Price  (MSPs)  for  all  Kharif  &  Rabi  crops  ensuring  a minimum of 50 percent of margin on the cost of production;

(iii) Crop insurance under Pradhan Mantri Fasal BimaYojna (PMFBY);

(iv) Better access to irrigation under Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY);

(v) Special attention for creation of infrastructure through Agri Infrastructure Fund (AIF) with a size of Rs. 100,000 crore;

(vi) New procurement policy under PM-AASHA in addition to FCI operations;

(vii)  Kisan  Credit Cards (KCC) offering production loan to even dairy & fishery farmers besides agricultural crops;

(viii) Formation and promotion of 10,000 FPOs;

(ix)  National  Mission  for  Sustainable  Agriculture  (NMSA),  which  aims  to  evolve  and implement strategies to make Indian agriculture more resilient to the changing climate;

(x)  Benefits  accruing  under  Bee-Keeping,  Rashtriya  Gokul  Mission,  Blue  Revolution, Interest Subvention Scheme, agro-forestry, restructured bamboo mission, implementation of new generation watershed guidelines, etc;

(xi) Focus on application of digital technology at all stages of agricultural value chain;

(xii) Creating awareness on use of modern machines and adoption of drone technologies in agriculture is promoted under Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM) which has a potential to revolutionize the Indian agriculture;

(xiii)  Promoting  Digital  Agriculture  Projects  through  emerging  technologies  like  Artificial Intelligence,  and  Machine  Learning  (AI/ML),  Internet  of  Things  (IOT),  Blockchain  etc. These initiatives intend to provide access to technology and information to the farmers across  the  country  to  address  the  farmer-centric  solutions,  through  various  digital initiatives;

(xiv) A component called 'Innovation and Agri-Entrepreneurship Development' has been launched  under  Rashtriya  Krishi  Vikas  Yojana  (RKVY-RAFTAAR)  in  2018-19  with  the objective of promoting innovation and agri-entrepreneurship by providing financial support and nurturing the incubation ecosystem; and

(xv) The Indian Council of Agricultural Research is implementing Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) scheme in different States of the Country to support farmers in the adoption of innovative farming techniques developed by National Agricultural Research Systems.

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