Lok Sabha Question No. 2579 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-05
Subject: Schemes Launched for Small and Marginal Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Thiru Arun Nehru

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

## LOK SABHA UNTARRED QUESTION NO. 2579

TO BE ANSWERED ON 5 TH  AUGUST, 2025

## SCHEMES LAUNCHED FOR SMALL AND MARGINAL FARMERS

## 2579. THIRU ARUN NEHRU:

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

- (a) the details of the schemes launched for the cost-effective technology for small and marginal farmers and the year-wise beneficiaries under the schemes since 2020, State-wise;
- (b) the details of the collaborations with international agricultural research institutes to develop lowcost, high-efficiency farming tools for Indian smallholders and the outcomes;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to encourage private sector participation in developing lowcost technology solutions for marginal farmers and the outcomes from those steps;
- (d)  the  details  of  the  steps  taken  by  the  Government  to  promote  cost-effective  agricultural technology for small and marginal farmers in India; and
- (e) whether the Government has any roadmap for next 10 years to make India's small and marginal farmers self-sufficient through technological advancements, if so, the details thereof and their expected outcomes?

## ANSWER

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

- (a), (d) & (e): Agriculture  is  a  state  subject.  Government  of  India  implements  various Central Sector and Centrally Sponsored Schemes to support states for development of agriculture sector as well as for promoting interest of farmers, including small and marginal farmers. List of schemes of Department Agriculture and Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is given at Annexure I . Details of major schemes to promote cost-effective agricultural technology, for farmers including small and marginal farmers, is given at Annexure  II. These  initiatives demonstrate government's commitment to leveraging technology to empower farmers, especially small and marginal farmers to enhance productive and promote sustainable farming.
- (b) & (c): Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) through institutions like Krishi Vigyan Kendras  (KVKs)  and  the  government  ensures  that  low-cost,  region-specific  technologies  are demonstrated  on  farmers'  fields.  These  include  improved  varieties  and  agronomic  practices, composting  techniques,  improved  tools,  and  organic  farming  practices  etc.  The  ICAR  have developed and demonstrated several low-cost technologies for small land-holders and marginalfarmers  including  polyculture  and  monoculture  of  diversified  aquaculture  species;  communitybased cage and pen culture in reservoirs and wetlands in the freshwater sector; Paddy cum fish culture, integrated fish culture; Shrimp farming in the brackish water; community-based open sea cage farming; seaweed faming and mussel farming in the marine ecosystem; FRP coracles; solar powered  fishing  boats;  rubber  wood  canoes;  solar  fish  dryers;  smoking  kiln;  etc.  ICAR  has undertaken  several  initiatives  to  promote  low-cost  technology  solutions  for  marginal  farmers through active private participation. In this connection ICAR has signed more than 150 MoU in the last  5  years.  ICAR  promotes  public-private  partnerships  (PPP)  to  scale  up  these  innovations, encouraging agro-startups and private firms to participate in technology refinement, input supply, custom hiring services, and extension outreach. This resulted in development and dissemination of  affordable,  location-specific  technologies  in  areas  such  as  soil  health  management,  water conservation, and climate-resilient agriculture.

Besides Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) supports post-harvest  management infrastructure. Rs. 107,502 Crores have been mobilized through AIF.  The Innovation and Agrientrepreneurship program of Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) supports innovations and agri entrepreneurship and incubation. 1943 Agri-Startups have been supported till 30 th  June, 2025.

## Major schemes implemented by the Department of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare

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

| S.No.   | Name of Scheme                                      | Physical and financial Progress                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    |
|---------|-----------------------------------------------------|------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|
| I.      | Sub-Mission on Agriculture Mechanization            | As on 30.06.2025 under the scheme, from 2014-15 to 2025-26, an amount of Rs. 9069.44 crore have been allocated for agricultural mechanization. 20.72 lakh numbers of machines and equipments have been provided to farmers on subsidy. 27204 custom hiring centers, 646 high-tech hubs and 25,260 farm machinery banks have been established to make available agricultural machines and equipments to the farmers on rental basis. During 2025-26, Rs.807.34 Crore have been released to States.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  |
| II.     | Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)               | As on 30 th June 2025, Rs. 66,310 Crores have been sanctioned for 1,13,419 projects under AIF These sanctioned projects have mobilized an investment of Rs.107,502 Crores in the agriculture sector. Major projects sanctioned under AIF include 30,202 custom hiring centres, 22,827 processing units, 15,982 warehouses, 3,703 sorting & grading units, 2,454 cold store projects, around 38,251 other kinds of post- harvest management projects and viable farming assets.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| III.    | e-NAM                                               | As on 30 th June 2025, the Department has integrated 1522 mandis with e-NAM since inception across 23 States & 4 UTs. 1.79 crore farmers & 2.67 Lakh traders have been registered on e-NAM portal. Total volume of 12.03 Crore MT & 49.15 Crore numbers (bamboo, betel leaves, coconut, lemon & sweet corn) collectively worth approximately Rs. 4.39 lakh crore of trade has been recorded on e-NAM platform.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     |
| IV.     | Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)                           | As on 30 th June 2025, under the Scheme, financial assistance of 55% to Small & Marginal farmers and 45% to Other farmers is provided for installation of Micro Irrigation systems. From the year 2015-16 to 2025- 26 (so far), an area 102 lakh ha has been covered under Micro Irrigation in the Country through the scheme. This is a significant achievement. So far, Central assistance of Rs. 24789.16 crores released under PDMC since 2015-16.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             |
| V.      | Soil Health Card                                    | Soil Health Card Scheme was introduced in the year 2014-15 to optimize usage of nutrients. The following number of cards have been issued to farmers. As on 30.06.2025 total 25.13 crore SHC issued.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               |
| VI.     | Kisan Credit Card (KCC)                             | Institutional credit flow to agriculture has risen nearly three times since 2014-15, rising from ₹8.5 lakh crore to ₹28.69 lakh crore in 2024-25. Short-term agriculture credit has more than doubled, increasing from ₹6.4 lakh crore in 2014-15 to ₹15.93 lakh crore in 2024-25. Further, as announced in the Union Budget 2025, the eligible loan limit under MISS for availing Interest Subvention and PRI benefits is proposed to be enhanced from ₹3 lakh to ₹5 lakh, and the necessary actions for implementation of this provision are currently underway.                                                                                                                                                                 |
| VII.    | AgriStack                                           | Agristack DPI consists of three basic registries or databases related to agriculture sector, i.e., (i) Geo-referenced Village Maps, (ii) Crop Sown Registry, and (iii) Farmers Registry (Farmer's Digital Identity Card) which are created and maintained by State Governments/UTs. A total of more than 7.04 crore farmer IDs have been generated till 04.08.2025. (Source: https://agristack.gov.in/#/farmerRegistryMonitoring ) Further, the Government has set a target to conduct digital crop survey in all States/UTs by Kharif 2025. Geo-referenced village map registry is a prerequisite, digital crop survey has been conducted in 436 districts in Kharif 2024 and in 461 districts in Rabi 2024-25 covering more than |
| VIII.   | WINDS (Weather Information Network and Data System) | WINDS (Weather Information Network and Data System) for setting up of Network of Automatic Weather Stations (AWS) & Automatic Rain- Gauges (ARG) to the tune of 5 times of existing network for collecting hyper-local weather data at GP & Block level under PMFBY. This will be fed into a National database with interoperability & sharing of data in coordination with India Meteorological Department (IMD). WINDS provides data not only for YES-TECH but also for effective drought & disaster management, accurate weather prediction and offering better parametric insurance products.                                                                                                                                  |

*****