Lok Sabha Question No. 2748 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-05
Subject: Promotion of Natural Farming
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Sukanta Kumar Panigrahi

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 2748

TO BE ANSWERED ON 05 th  August, 2025

## Promotion of Natural Farming

2748. Shri Sukanta Kumar Panigrahi:

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

- (a)  whether  Kandhamal,  Boudha  &  Nayagarh  (KBK+)  districts have  been  included under the national campaign for promotion of natural farming in 2024-25, if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the details of number of Soil Health Cards issued in these districts during the last three years;
- (c) the total assistance disbursed to tribal and marginal farmers under the PM-KISAN scheme since April 2024; and
- (d) the steps taken to set up millet processing and procurement infrastructure in the KBK+ and aspirational districts of Odisha?

## ANSWER

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

(a) KBK+  districts  have  been  included  under  Bhartiya  Prakritik  Krishi Paddhati (BPKP), an umbrella scheme of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY) for the promotion of natural farming in 2024-25. It was implemented in the State over 24,000  ha  over  15  districts  from  2022-23  to  2024-25.  BPKP  aimed  at  promoting traditional  practices  which  supports  farmers  to  use  on  farm  inputs  like  biomass mulching,  cow  dung-urine  formulation  and  plant-based  preparations  and  avoid  all synthetic inputs.

Area covered till date in KBK+ districts is as follows:

|    | Name of the KBK+ Districts   |   Area of implementation (in ha) |
|----|------------------------------|----------------------------------|
|  1 | Kalahandi                    |                             2000 |
|  2 | Nuapada                      |                             2000 |
|  3 | Balangir                     |                             1000 |
|  4 | Koraput                      |                             1000 |

| 5   | Malkangiri   |   2000 |
|-----|--------------|--------|
| 6   | Nabarangpur  |   1000 |
| 7   | Rayagada     |   2000 |
| 8   | Kandhamal    |   2000 |
|     | Total        |  13000 |

(b) District wise information on Soil Health Card issued is available on Soil Health Card Portal (soilhealth.dac.gov.in) from 2023-24.  Till date, 1,44,211 Soil Health Cards have been issued in KBK+ districts.

(c) Under  the  PM-KISAN  Scheme,  the  responsibility  to  identify  the  beneficiaries  and uploading their correct and verified data on PM-KISAN portal lies with the respective State/UT Government. Thereafter, the verified data goes through various levels of validation including Aadhaar/PFMS/Income Tax database, etc. before the benefits are released to the farmers directly into their bank accounts through DBT mode. Total amount disbursed to beneficiaries of Scheduled tribes across all the States under PM-KISAN Scheme in Financial Year 202425 is Rs. 6,377.41 Crores out of which Rs. 3392 Crores was for tribal farmers in Odisha.

(d) Millet processing infrastructure is supported through various Schemes.  District wise details are not maintained centrally.  As per information from Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution, State procures coarse grains & 6 minor millets in Decentralised Procurement  Mode,  for  distribution  under  Targeted  Public  Distribution  System  &  Other Welfare Schemes.  Government of India has taken over 40,000 MT surplus Ragi available in Odisha.