Lok Sabha Question No. 5015 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-04-01
Subject: Crop Diversification in Punjab
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Shri Malvinder Singh Kang

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

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 5015

TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 1 ST  APRIL, 2025

## CROP DIVERSIFICATION IN PUNJAB

5015. SHRI MALVINDER SINGH KANG Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government is taking steps to encourage crop diversification in Punjab to reduce the over-reliance on wheat and paddy; (b) the details of initiatives which are being implemented to promote sustainable farming practices in Punjab, such as organic farming and zero-budget natural farming etc.; (c) the  details  of  steps  which  have  been  taken  by  the  Government  in  ensuring farmers would receive a fair and timely Minimum Support Price (MSP) for their crops; (d) the  measures  being  taken  to  increase  farmers'  income  through  alternative revenue stress like agro-processing and value addition; and

(e) if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कल्याण राज्य मंũी (SHRI RAM NATH THAKUR)

(a): The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is implementing Crop Diversification Programme (CDP) under Pradhan Mantri- Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY), in Original Green Revolution States viz., Haryana, Punjab and western Uttar Pradesh to divert the area of water intensive paddy crop to alternative crops like pulses, oilseeds, coarse cereals, nutri cereals, cotton etc. The  Government  of  India  is  also  providing  flexibility  to  the  states  for  state specific needs/priorities under PM-RKVY  and  the states can promote crop diversification  under  PM-RKVY  with  the  approval  of  State Level Sanctioning Committee (SLSC). (b): Government is promoting organic farming in the country through the scheme of Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY), a component of PM-RKVY including the State of Punjab. The PKVY scheme provides end-to-end support to organic farmers i.e.  from  production  to  processing,  certification  and  marketing  in  cluster  based approach.  The  primary  focus  of  the  scheme  is  to  form  organic  clusters  where preference is given to small and marginal farmers.

Government is also implementing a centrally sponsored scheme namely, National Mission  on  Natural  Farming  (NMNF)  in  all  the  States  and  Union  Territories  (UTs) including Punjab to encourage farmers to promote Natural Farming (NF). The Mission is envisaged to scientifically strengthen NF practices towards sustainability, climate resilience and safe food.

(c): Government fixes Minimum Support Prices (MSPs) for 22 mandated agricultural crops for the country as a whole and not region or state-specific, based on the recommendations of Commission for Agricultural Costs & Prices (CACP), after considering  the  views  of  State  Governments  and  Central  Ministries/Departments concerned.

(d  &  e):    In  order  to  promote  and  ensure  overall  development  of Food  Processing Industries across the country including Punjab, Ministry of Food Processing Industries (MoFPI) has been incentivizing setting up/ expansion of related infrastructure through its  Central  Sector  Umbrella  Scheme  'Pradhan  Mantri  Kisan  SAMPADA  Yojana (PMKSY)', Central Sector 'Production Linked Incentive Scheme for Food Processing Industry (PLISFPI)' and Centrally sponsored 'Pradhan Mantri Formalization of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME)' Scheme and thereby increasing the income of the farmers. These schemes are not region specific but demand driven.

DA&FW is implementing 'Innovation and Agri-Entrepreneurship Development' programme under PM-RKVY from 2018-19 with an objective to promote innovation and agri-entrepreneurship by providing financial and technical support for nurturing startups ecosystem in the country.

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